A Frozen Revenge
by Kristoph Reads
Summary: Revenge. That's all Athrodar seeks now. Farstrider, Assassin and now Death Knight. All that's left for him now is to kill the man that has made him into a weapon of death. The man who decimated his kin during the third war, The Lich King. He travels to Northrend to do exactly that, under the banner of the Forsaken. Follows on from The Bonds of Friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my second story, following on from The Bonds of Friendship. Like the previous one, I'd love feedback in anyway, constructive or positive so it can help me build as a writer and hopefully improves my work as time goes by. I am planning on stretching out the timeline for WoW/Warcraft as I feel events in the game go by quicker than I'd like. So if it ends up taking a year or two longer to do any of the major events in this story, there's my reason why! :D**

 **Again, please leave a review on what you think about "A Frozen Revenge" so far, Follow + Favourite if you enjoyed it also!**

* * *

 **Preparations**

A month had passed since Elaria had left Northrend to return to the Argent Crusade outpost in the Eastern Plaguelands. She had tried to convince Athrodar to leave with her, to come home to Thalina but he knew he couldn't do that. He felt he needed to stay in Northrend and slay the man that made him into a weapon of death. This is why he finds himself in a war council room with the Knight's of the Ebon Blade. An order of Death Knights that broke free from the Lich Kings control, forming an alliance with the Argent Crusade and taking the fight to the Scourge of Northrend and the Lich King.

He had recently been accepted into this order, after a long debate whether or not they could trust him, he was put under the rank of Captain, though he believes Highlord Mograine gave him such a demotion from General to keep an eye on him, seeing as he was under the Lich King's influence longer than anyone else. Not that it bothered him, he just wants to mete out justice to the butcher of his race, the Sin'dorei, and the man who made him what he is.

They were gathered around a table full of maps, the main one being all of Northrend, something Athrodar had put a lot of work into. Stone lions and wolves placed all around the map, signifying the Alliance and Horde encampments in Northrend. White and Black Knights are placed around the map as well, indicating the Argent Crusade and The Knights of the Ebon Hold. Whilst they both had fewer figures on the map, Athrodar had made sure that they placed them in the best locations. After all, he knew more about this frozen wasteland than anyone else.

The last set of figures, and most dominant of all were stone necromancers placed almost everywhere around the map. These indicated all the Scourge presence they were aware of, majority of them Athrodar had placed there when he was under _his_ command, the rest had been reported in from the front lines, keeping them updated on pockets of Scourge that he hadn't remembered or were newly risen.

At the table with him was Highlord Darion Mograine, leader of the Ebon Blade. The rest were captains and other officers of the order, one of them being Stefan Vadu, Athrodar's second now equal. He was to command the forces in Zul'Drak, home to a troll empire that has now turned into members of the Scourge, strengthening them more. With them was Dread Commander Thalanor, Second-in-command of Acherus, and Baron Sliver, soon to be commander of their forces in Icecrown. He was assigned the mission of infiltrating the Scourge ranks and setting up a base of operations in the heart of Icecrown.

The remaining officers around the table were leaders of each school of Death Knight. The leader of Blood, Lord Thorval. The leader of Frost, Amal'Thazad and the leader of Unholy, Lady Alistra. They were to teach new Death Knights how to use their abilities to take down the Scourge threats in each of the locations in Northrend. They were in this meeting so they could get an idea on who to send where and how they needed to be trained in order to defeat the Scourge once they arrived.

"What's the situation like in Howling Fjord?" Darion asked, pointing his hand over towards the location on the map. "Have we taken Utgarde Keep?"

"According to our latest reports, we have breached the keep and shall have it under our control soon." Athrodar replied. "The Alliance and Horde are keeping reinforcements at bay, both factions seem to be winning the constant assault from the Scourge."

Stefan cut in. "Though to the east," He points to the eastern shoreline of Howling Fjord. "The Alliance and Horde are also contesting each other for the shores."

Darion clenched his fists in anger. "Incorrigible fools, they're making this war harder than it needs to be."

"Perhaps we should bring back the dead." Amal'Thazad suggested. "Who knows, we could bolster our ranks with them when we assault our objectives."

Darion glared at him "I don't think so, Lich. We don't want to spark a war against both the Alliance and Horde. We don't have the numbers we would like, going to war against two more factions would decimate us."

"He is right Amul," Came Lady Alistra. "We can't afford to go to war against them, let alone what the Argent Crusade would do if they found out. It's best if we try to keep on the good side of either faction, for our survival if nothing else."

Athrodar began to walk around the table, stopping at Zul'Drak and looking at the pieces placed there. "Stefan, how goes the assault on Zul'Drak?"

He glanced up at him then back at the map. "We have set up a small camp at the foot of Zul'Drak. The Argent Crusade have set up a couple of camps around the area further in, we have a good foothold altogether in the zone."

As he gave out details of their positions, Athrodar began to place the representative markers at their locations, marking out where each faction had troops followed by where they heard there was Scourge activity. With the Drakkari Trolls aligning with the Lich King, the Scourge forces in Zul'Drak are more of a threat now than they were a few months ago. If it wasn't for the alliance between the Ebon Blade and the Argent Crusade, the Scourge armies placed in Zul'Drak would invade other areas of Northrend, making victory on the frozen continent impossible.

Highlord Mograine began to scan over the map of Zul'Drak before slowly nodding. "Good... This area of Northrend shall be ours within the next few months." He glanced around the table, making eye contact with everyone. "This will be a major blow to the Lich King if we take Zul'Drak from him, and we will take it from him." He turned to face Stefan. "Captain Vadu, I presume they have some sort of defensive positions. Keeps, Fortresses, outposts?"

Stefan nodded. "Correct, they have two as far as we know, as well as a necropolis floating nearby the Argent Crusade's main camp."

"I see, what of the two outposts? What sort of intel do we have on these places?"

"From what little we can gather, they seem to be very well defended inside each outpost. The first, Drak'Tharon Keep, have plenty of trolls inside, rapters, bats and from what we can tell, they have a Lich somewhere inside. We would have gotten more information but," He clenched a fist tightly. "We lost our last scouts due to an ambush."

"What of the other location? How well protected is it?" Darion urged, needing all the information before they deployed their full force.

"Gundrak is its name, though we have little information on this location. What we do know is that the trolls of Zul'Drak have turned on their ancient gods, the Loa, and are apparently using the blood from these ancient gods as a means to repel the Lich King's minions."

The Highlord's eyebrows rose a little in surprise. "So these trolls aren't under the Lich King's control?"

Stefan shook his head. "It doesn't seem like they are, no."

Darion began to stroke his chin, seemingly lost in thought as he paced around the room. "We could try to get into contact with them, form an alliance with the remaining trolls and get them to help drive the Lich King out of Zul'Drak together."

Before Darion could order him to get in contact with the trolls in Gundrak, Stefan gave him a look that suggested it wouldn't work. "I'm afraid they won't form an alliance with us, Highlord. They were the ones who ambushed our scouts whilst they were returning back to camp. We have reason to believe their maddened prophets are the ones who are feeding them lies about us." He shook his head in disgust. "Trolls..."

Athrodar pinched the bridge of his nose. "So we have two factions to contest with now. I was hoping they would see were taking the fight to the Scourge and would join us in this. No matter, we will destroy every last one of them. That will teach them to attack us unprovoked."

Everyone around the table nodded in agreement. "I dare say attacking us will be their biggest and last mistake." Darion replied, looking over the table once more before addressing everyone. "You all know your individual tasks. Let's take the fight to the Lich King, once and for all." Glancing at them all once more. "Dismissed."

As they all began to leave the area, Athrodar stayed back to scan the map once more. Not to add more pieces to it, but to make certain they had all their forces in the right areas. Whilst he was scanning over the table, a hand was placed on his shoulder. "Captain," Said the voice belonging to the Highlord. "I have something for you."

He turned to face him, only to see him walking towards a door joining his office to the war room. Athrodar followed him through the door and into his office. "What is it, Highlord?" He asked. As he looked over at him, he beckoned him closer, the Highlord stood beside a chest he had only just recognised as the Highlord put a hand on it. Opening the chest he pulled out a pair of twin axes before giving them to Athrodar. They were well balanced, despite the short handles and huge axe heads. He swung them around momentarily before inspecting them some more. "What are these for?"

"Well, as you've been without weapons since we captured you, I thought it was best to get you equipped before you head out into Northrend. You do still know how to use them, right?"

Athrodar nodded. "Of course, it's not something you just forget, though I used swords not axes." He placed the two axes on his back, handles pointing upwards for an easy reach. "They're very well made too, where did you get them?"

The Highlord smirked at him. "They're not normal axes, Captain. They were made for Lordaeron Royalty." He gestured to the axes now sheathed on his back. "These are Havoc's Call. What used to be one axe has been made into two. Our best smiths have been working tirelessly to get the exact balance on the second axe, something that took a lot of work." He began to walk towards the door. "Keep those axes close to you, and they will serve you better than any weapon you had before could."

As he left his office, Athrodar unsheathed one of the axes and ran his hand across the blade before murmuring a spell. He was crafting runes into the blades, something Death Knights learnt to do through training and with a runeforge. Due to the power he had been granted from the Lich King, he could do such a thing without a runeforge with the added bonus of the runes being more powerful than most. As he finished crafting the runes into in first blade, Athrodar saw it begin to glow before turning into what looked like a blue flame. He unsheathed the second axe from his back and began to do the same. Once he finished, the second axe had a more of a white glow to it. It looked like it was snowing on the axe, yet there was no snow about. As he held them in my hands, he could feel the power resonating from either one and coursing through him.

* * *

The journey back to Northrend was a rough one. The seas weren't kind to them as they departed from Tirisfal Glades with forsaken forces on their way to reinforce the Horde. Lady Sylvanas Windrunner surprisingly allowed them voyage with her troops without putting up much of an argument. According to Highlord Mograine, she saw they were going to take the fight to the Lich King and was willing to help them get there. He also believes due to her vendetta on him, she was more than happy to allow others to die in this frozen wasteland, as long as it got her closer to killing the butcher who slaughtered her kind all those years ago.

That's why it was a shock to them when she was onboard the ship Athrodar and the Highlord were currently on. "So, this is the 'Prince of Death' I have been hearing about?" They couldn't see her, but being the most skilled ranger Silvermoon had in life, that was probably her plan.

"You would be correct in that, Lady Windrunner. He was second to the Lich King himself and has provided valuable information for us." Highlord Mograine remained calm the whole time, not flinching when the Banshee Queen appeared from the shadows and stared him in the eyes with her own crimson red ones.

"And in doing so, you've cut out his tongue? Or is he capable of talking for himself?" She looked past him and at Athrodar. Her eyes scanned him for a second before she raised an eyebrow. "He's an elf? I didn't think Arthas would choose an elf as his second."

Athrodar removed his helmet and placed it under his arm. "Better yet, Lady Windrunner, A former Lieutenant-Ranger of Silvermoon." He watched her for a reaction and got none in return. Turning to the Highlord he asked, "If I may, I'd like to have a word with Lady Windrunner, alone."

He looked at Athrodar before leaning in. "Be careful around her, she's showing signs of distrust. Her actions are becoming that of the pure vengeance. Who knows what she will do to get it." He kept his voice low enough for only him to hear, tapping his shoulder before leaving him with her.

Athrodar walked over to the side of the ship named _The Windrunner,_ leaning against the railing and staring out into the ocean before looking around the deck, making sure they were alone. She joined him shortly after, though her tone was that of anger. "I don't have time for games, elf. What do you wish to speak to me about."

He smirked at her tone, knowing all the stories of a relentless Banshee Queen hell-bent on vengeance were true, which just frustrated her more. "I'll skip right to the point." He glanced at her before looking back at the ocean. "I hear you will take on any Death Knights that wish to join you. As long as they swear loyalty to your cause."

"You heard correctly." She replied bluntly. "Though I hear you're a Captain in your little organisation. Why do you concern yourself with what I do?"

The question wasn't a surprise to Athrodar, he knew she would ask it, which is why he was already prepared with an answer. "You and I want the same thing." He stated boldly. This piqued the interest of the Banshee Queen. She wondered what this little chat was going to convey and whether or not she would benefit from its outcome.

She glanced at him before she said. "I'm listening."

"We both want to see the Lich King killed for what he has done to us." He turned to face the Banshee Queen. "We both want to kill him ourselves for taking us away from a life we had worked so hard to keep safe."

"It is no secret that I want that butcher dead." She held on to the side of the ship, tightening her grip on it as she spoke. "The countless lives he has taken, including my own, shall be brought to justice at my hands." Her grip on the railing loosened as she turned her head to face Athrodar. "What are you proposing?"

"What I'm proposing, your Majesty," Athrodar started. "Is for a chance to serve the Horde in the war to come." He stood up straight and locked his icy blue eyes with Sylvanas' crimson red ones. "A chance to serve under the Ranger-General I had served all those years ago as a ranger myself." He got down on one knee and unsheathed one of his axes. "If you would allow me into your service once more."

Sylvanas looked down at the elf in front of her, a dark amusement had come across her face. _He would make a powerful weapon_ a voice in her head said, smirking at the idea. "Very well, I will allow you into my service, Death Knight, under one condition." Athrodar looked up at her before she continued. "You are to lead my forces in Dragonblight, namely Venomspite." She waved her hand for him to follow her to her office onboard the ship. As they both arrived at the office, Athrodar could see a map of Dragonblight and Forsaken banners planted in a location next to Scarlet Crusade Knights.

Athrodar made his way around the table, taking in as much information as he could before Sylvanas could inform him on what she wanted him to do. "What I want of you, Athrodar," He hadn't given her his name, yet she knew it. "Is to lead my troops in an attack against the Scarlet Crusade, I hear you're very good at killing them. After what you done at New Avalon, I would very much like to think you're the right person for the job." She picked up a statue of a Scarlet Knight and held it with two of her fingers, resting her thumb underneath it to hold it up. She was inspecting the statue momentarily before it was enveloped by a purple shadow, becoming incinerated by said shadow seconds later and turning into dust. "Destroy them for me, and you shall be granted your wish of becoming a ranger for me once again."

Athrodar nodded in agreement to the task before making his way to where Sylvanas stood. Taking hold of a Scarlet Knight statue on the map and inspecting the intricate details on it. "So you want me to decimate their forces located in Dragonblight." He placed the statue back down on the map before asking. "You don't want any prisoners?"

Sylvanas pondered on the idea of prisoners for a few seconds before replying. "If you think you can get me prisoners, then by all means, get me prisoners." _More like test subjects_ she said to herself.

Athrodar bowed his head slightly. "Then I shall get you prisoners." He left the room shortly after and made his way to Highlord Darion to inform him of his new … Job title.


	2. Chapter 2

**Scarlet Onslaught**

Dragonblight. Resting place for all dragons, no matter the aspect. Green, red, blue, bronze and black, they all lie in this graveyard together, all their differences set aside in death. A massive tower is located near the centre of it all, Wyrmrest Temple is its name, surrounded by five beautiful dragon shrines all belonging to their individual aspects. As of late however, the Scourge has laid siege to these shrines in order to raise the dead dragons that surround them, turning them into deadly minions of the Scourge.

To the east floats a necropolis housing thousands of Scourge, their numbers increasing day by day as new undead are risen from the fallen who are fighting to protect their homes from wave after wave of undead minions pouring out from this floating fortress known as Naxxramas. Wintergarde Keep, an Alliance base set up to fight the undead minions coming from Naxxramas, and Venomspite, A Horde base to do the exact same, are located to the west of Naxxramas.

This is where the ships carrying the Ebon Blade and the Forsaken are heading. Just to the south of Venomspite is a beach head that has a history long forgotten by those who walk it. Presumably why it has been aptly named 'The Forgotten Shore'. The same shore that Arthas had landed on all those years ago to find the runeblade Frostmourne, the same shore he had hired mercenaries to burn the ships that docked there before having his men turn on them, all in the name of mutiny.

This knowledge was not lost on Athrodar, for he knew much about the Lich King. He knew where the Scourge weaknesses were and how to get to them, he knew what generals to take out in order to deal a massive blow to the Lich King. He knew. The information however was lost inside him after his connection to the Lich King was severed by the light. Information that is key to the campaign all of Azeroth is embarking on, information that will need to be found sooner than later.

As the ships began to set anchor on the forgotten shores, several crew members had noticed ghosts wondering around the beach. Yet, they were not paying any attention to the ships that docked, nor the soldiers that began to climb off them, they were wondering about aimlessly, as if they had no purpose being here other than to be a reminder of a dark past.

After getting all the supplies off the ships, the Forsaken forces began to move out towards Venomspite whilst the Knights of the Ebon Blade were moving towards their outposts in Zul'Drak and Icecrown.

"Stay safe Highlord." Shaking hands with him, Athrodar gives the Highlord a nod before departing to Venomspite. "We'll meet again when the time comes to kill the Lich King."

Darion gives him a small smile. "I don't doubt it Captain." he says, nodding in return before pulling him closer and bringing his voice into a whisper. "Be careful around her lad," Darion glanced at Sylvanas, Athrodar following his gaze. "You may have sworn allegiance to her now but that doesn't stop her from becoming him."

Athrodar lowered his voice to an equal volume. "I'll keep an eye on her, don't you worry."

Darion raised his voice again into laughter, catching everyone's attention around them. "Then I shall see you at the foot of Icecrown Citadel, Athrodar."

Athrodar following suit. "So long as you don't get caught up fighting elsewhere." They went their separate ways shortly after, Darion heading off towards Icecrown whilst Athrodar went with the forsaken troops to Venomspite.

As Athrodar caught up to the forsaken troops on their way up to Venomspite, he made his way to the front of the column, walking alongside the leader of it, Sylvanas. She was atop her horse, at least it would have been in life, what she was atop of now was a skeletal horse. Having overheard their conversation, she glanced down at Athrodar before looking back at the road. "He doesn't trust me." She wasn't asking, she was stating.

Athrodar smirked before replying. "No he does not." He shook his head briefly before continuing. "He believes you are driven by revenge and will act without reason or strategy."

That caught her attention. Before he could react, Sylvanas drew her blade and lay it across Athrodar's throat, a flash of anger in her eyes. "And what do you believe?" Her tone matching the expression on her face.

Athrodar stopped in his tracks. The reply was calm, not a trace of hesitation in his voice as he spoke. "It doesn't matter what I believe, my Queen." He looked up at Sylvanas who was narrowing her eyes at him. "Though if you want my opinion, I believe you will do what is necessary to kill the man who did this to us. To our kin."

Sylvanas stared at him for a few seconds before removing her blade from his throat. She looked forward as a small grin rose on her face. "We are near Venomspite." She said. "Once we arrive there, gather as many forsaken as you think is necessary and take them to the Scarlet town to the west." She glanced down at Athrodar. "And take Koltira with you. He's been studying their defences, which will make him valuable for this mission."

Athrodar chuckled lightly, "He's still alive? I thought he would have perished at Light's Hope." He shook his head, and muttered to himself. "He's stronger than I gave him credit for ..."

 _2 days later..._

New Hearthglen. The Scarlet Onlsaught's new base of operations in Northrend. A heavily guarded town to the south-west of Venomspite and a real nuisance for the Forsaken army that has set up there. Athrodar sat atop a skeletal horse alongside fellow Death Knight Koltira Deathweaver, both as confident in each others abilities, though Koltira's paled in comparison to Athrodar's.

They were on a hill looking over the Scarlet Town in front of them, Koltira filling Athrodar in on details he has been collecting weeks in advance. "The town has been put into three layers of defence." He began to point around the town. "Here is the main courtyard, the lower level. We will need to take this area quickly in order to take the rest of the town. They have a barracks set up on this level, so we need to take out this building and everyone inside before reinforcements arrive. They also have a chapel placed nearby. We expect priests to be inside." He shook his head. "Their holy magic will be a problem, so we will need to neutralise them first."

He moved his hand to the next area. "This is the upper level, and their main staging area in which we need to take. This area is mostly civilian, though they have a monastery set up in which we believe house their strongest units, we will need to storm this building with most of our units to take them out. From here, victory will be a certainty as their last line of defence will be the beach, Crusader's Landing they call it, along with Sinner's Folly. This is where they will be bringing reinforcements from and where we will take advantage of it's narrow passageway to the upper level."

Athrodar nodded in understanding. The Scarlet Onlsaught will be funnelling reinforcements to the town from the beach through a narrow pass, something they can set a choke point on, utterly destroying any advancing reinforcements. He looked at Koltira, studying his face as he looked at the town. "How accurate are your sources?" He needed to be certain Koltira knew everything about this place, to know its weaknesses and how to exploit them.

Koltira gave a deathly sounding laugh, scaring away what birds remained in the area. "My sources are accurate, victory will be certain." He placed a hand on Athrodar's shoulder. "Trust me my friend, they will be slaughtered."

Athrodar smiled at the idea of the Scarlet Onlsaught being slaughtered by him... Again. The thought was so amusing that he began to chuckle at the idea, Koltira staring at him in confusion before realising his train of thought. He began to join in on the laughter before Athrodar signalled the forsaken troops to advance forward.

Minutes later the sound of fighting erupted around the lower level of the town. Athrodar sat on his horse, overlooking the fighting below. He had sent Koltira down with the first wave to break through their defences before sending in the second. As he watched over the fighting, a figure made its way from the shadows to stand next to him. He glanced down at the figure that stood next to him, not at all surprised to see it was Sylvanas standing there. "So," She began. "The fighting has started."

Athrodar got down from his horse, not failing to see the small entourage of Dark Rangers that accompanied their Queen. "It has, your majesty." He stood next to her, a couple yards back to give Sylvanas her room, and to show that she was in charge. "If all goes as planned, Koltira will send a runner to tell us he's broken through their defences, allowing us to send in the second wave."

"Good." She replied, not showing any emotion on her face or in her voice as she turned to face him. "Will you be joining the fight?"

"Killing humans who dare stand in our way?" He began to smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

A twitch. That's what played on Sylvanas' lips. A small twitch of a smile at the idea of him seeking amusement in killing the Scarlet Onlsaught in her name. She began to walk back to Venomspite before stopping by his side. "Prove your loyalty to me, Athrodar. Prove it and you shall be rewarded." Before he could respond, Sylvanas and her entourage of Dark Rangers had slipped back into the shadows.

Shortly after Sylvanas had gone a messenger made its way towards Athrodar, informing him that Koltira had made his way past their initial defence and were ready for the next assault. Without hesitation, Athrodar signalled for the second wave to charge in, with him leading the charge. Within minutes the second wave had joined the fray. Their objective was to take the chapel whilst the first wave keeps everyone else at bay. As the second wave had more troops, they were going to take the full force of the priests and priestesses in the chapel.

The holy magic would be devastating to the first wave if they were the ones to attack the chapel, their numbers wouldn't be enough to hold them back. Their task, now that they destroyed the initial defence of the Scarlet Onlsaught, was to hold off the remaining troops on the lower level and stop reinforcements from attacking the second wave of units.

When Athrodar and his wave arrived at the front of the chapel, he quickly noticed all the slaughtered scarlet soldiers littered around the entrance of the town with very few forsaken casualties. _This will be an easy victory_ he thought. Now was the time to secure the lower level of the town.

He unhooked a forsaken horn he picked up in Venomspite and blew one sharp breath into it followed by a longer blow. Within seconds the second wave had formed up outside the chapel whilst the first wave made their way to the barracks opposite. Both forces were going to send a quarter of their troops in to their respective buildings whilst the rest began to hold off the reinforcements that were surely to come aid their trapped brethren.

"Edwards!" Athrodar called for his second. Shortly after being summoned, the Forsaken Captain came running towards him. They became acquainted shortly after Athrodar's arrival in Venomspite, much to Edwards' dislike as Athrodar was a "Newly reformed" member of the Scourge, and a high ranking one at that.

He saluted Athrodar by placing both fists on his chest, arms crossing so either hand met the opposite shoulder. "What is it you require?"

Athrodar gave him a brief nod before telling him his plan. "I need you to send half the force I leave outside to the pathway leading towards Crusader's Landing. Form a shielded pike wall and set the archers and mages on higher ground, they'll be sending in forces from the narrow passageway and I intend to make full use of such a blessing."

Edwards laughed, fully understanding how big of a mistake it would be to send soldiers into such a well fortified wall of pikes and spears. He nodded at Athrodar, "It shall be done." He saluted once more before gathering the troops for this task.

With half the second wave gone, Athrodar gathered up the remaining troops and split their numbers in half as well. He was to leave half of them outside to defend attackers from the upper level whilst taking the other half into the chapel, leading the charge himself.

As they entered the chapel, they were hit by spell after spell of holy magic. It would have been devastating had Athrodar not foreseen the attack and placed down an anti-magic barrier. This was a spell Death Knights learnt to avoid taking the full amount of damage from spells. It was a shell that was big enough for ten people to stand in, the casting Death Knight in the middle. Such a spell would drain any normal Death Knight quickly, but Athrodar was anything but a normal Death Knight. This was child's play to him.

The shell was breaking, something he had expected to happen a lot earlier than it was, causing Athrodar to grin. "Now!" he commanded, unsheathing one of the axes on his back and pointing it forward. Shadow tendrils sprung out from the many points on the axe and began to silence the scarlet priests. Whilst this was all happening, forsaken troops ran around the corner and began to fire arrows and bolts at the scarlet crusaders. Melee troops were leading the charge, shields raised up to block incoming missile fire before slamming into their enemies.

A war cry came from his side. Before the screaming warrior could get to him, Athrodar released the silencing spell on the casters and unsheathed his second axe to block swinging sword coming towards him. He parried away the sword with one of his axes, bringing the second one around in an arc like motion, severing the arm of the warrior, causing him to drop to his knees and hold on to the arm, or lack of, whilst blood began to pour out onto the floor.

The thrill of causing pain and death washed over Athrodar, giving him a quick fix of euphoria he had been craving since he was the Lich King's second. Sheathing both axes on to his back, he gripped the throat of the dying scarlet warrior with one hand and picked up the sword with his second. "I'll make this a quick death, seeing as you were brave enough to face me alone." Before the warrior could reply, Athrodar lunged the sword into his shoulder and down his chest, killing him instantly.

He looked up, noticing a shield wall had formed in the middle of the chapel with archers standing behind it, firing volley after volley into the dwindling scarlet's. Still holding onto the sword, he made his way past the shield wall and into a side office that had caught his attention. The doors were locked.

Knowing it was a trap, Athrodar closed his eyes and began to mumble words under his breath. Once he finished, he opened his eyes and what would normally be light blue eyes, tainted with necromantic magic, were now looking like flames, except they were a dark blue and gave off a deathly cold temperature. He placed a hand on the door and began to freeze the occupants inside. The process would take just under a minute and the results were perfect. Nobody would survive.

After a minute had passed, Athrodar smashed down the frozen door, causing it to shatter into a thousand pieces. Scanning the room, he saw four frozen guards standing in front of a frozen priestess. _Clearly someone important_ he thought, grinning at the sight. Making his way back to the middle of the chapel, he saw the forsaken troops mopping up the last remnants of scarlet activity in the chapel.

Cheers of victory erupted from various locations in the chapel "Power to the Forsaken! For the Dark Lady!" It was a minor victory in a fight that had more stages, but an important one in the long run.

Making his way out the chapel, Athrodar caught up with Koltira who was cleaning off his runeblade. He looked up from his blade and saw Athrodar making his way towards him. "Well, it's about damn time." He chuckled. "I thought you had perished, thank the Dark Lady you didn't."

Athrodar sat down on a box next to him, still holding on to the sword that he had taken from the dead scarlet warrior. Inspecting it, he realised it wasn't a bad looking blade, though it could use a little bit of work from his runeforging skills. He was eyeing the blade intently, not failing to notice Koltira giving him a look of confusion. "It could prove to be a powerful weapon, you know. Just needs a little..." He ran his hand over the bloodied blade, forging runes onto it and causing it to glow blue. "Work."

He knew Koltira envied his ability to forge runes away from a runeforge, even when he tried to hide it, his face gave it away. "Sure, any blade can become a powerful weapon if you do that to it." He nodded over to the upper level of the town. "When do we begin?"

Athrodar looked up to the upper level of the town. "Soon, my friend. Soon."


	3. Chapter 3

**A Fanatical End**

Night had fallen, yet sounds of skirmishes were going on in different areas of New Hearthglen. The Scarlet Onslaught were regrouping on the upper level whilst the forsaken forces, led by Athrodar, were pushing through their flimsy defences. Koltira was leading the group of forsaken who were holding back reinforcements from the beach and pushing back the Scarlet Onslaught all the way to their ships.

Both assaults were happening simultaneously in order to leave the Scarlet Onslaught very little time to recover and help each other out. To bolster their attack, both Death Knights were raising the fallen crusaders to fight for them and the forsaken to ensure the victory in New Hearthglen. Wherever they went, death followed them. The impending doom that the Scarlet Onslaught faced was creeping ever nearer, yet the sweet embrace of the afterlife would be taken from them, either by the two Death Knights or the Lich King.

How Athrodar loved the irony of it all.

Though raised as mindless ghouls, the former Scarlet Onslaught soldiers had their uses. Mostly used as fodder to soak up the spells their former brothers and sisters were using, the ghouls were saving countless forsaken lives by just being there. When they weren't being used a fodder, they were put to a more productive use. Ravaging through the defences, killing all the scarlet soldiers in sight, which in turn allowed for more "recruits" to join the ever growing Forsaken army.

Upon breaching the upper levels defences, Athrodar scanned the area and saw most of the buildings were civilian houses, a lumber mill and a huge cathedral. Looking towards the houses, he saw groups of humans being evacuated towards the cathedral. Something about seeing this gave him a flashback to the early days of being under the Lich King's control and slaughtering the Scarlet Crusade at New Avalon.

Could he bring himself to slaughtering civilian lives again? He didn't think he could. _The Banshee Queen is watching. Even warriors look like civilians without their armour._ He decided to listen to the voice in his head and pressed forward towards the entrance of the cathedral. After all, they wouldn't show him mercy if he looked like a civilian.

The attack on the upper level was gaining significant ground and the Forsaken forces were pushing the defenders into the cathedral for a last stand defence of the town. The attack on the beach, lead by Koltira, was going to plan. The Scarlet soldiers were being pushed back to the shoreline and would eventually be boxed in by the sea and the Forsaken army. There would be no survivors.

Just as the last defenders were put to rest, shortly followed by being raised into undeath, the doors to the cathedral were shut, barring any entrance from the outside. As Athrodar got close to the door, he could feel the holy light radiating off of it, telling him it would be a bad idea to try and open the door like he would any other. The only way to breach the cathedral is with brute force.

Luckily they came prepared for this eventuality.

The Forsaken army had lined up outside the cathedral, Captain Edwards at the head of it. Athrodar made his way towards the Captain, stopping a few yards to his left. "Bring up the Abomination." He told the Captain, looking at the doors to the cathedral the whole time.

Without needing to be asked twice, Edwards saluted and turned to address five of his Forsaken. "You five!" He pointed at them. "Bring up Skum. He has work to do."

The group saluted and moved out with haste to get the task done. They returned a few minutes later with the abomination known as Skum. He was a monstrous abomination that was built for one thing. Destruction. This role was achieved mostly due to his enormous size compared to most abominations. He was constructed to be at least twice the size of any normal abomination, with the strength and ferocity of ten orcs in the middle of a blood frenzy. A true weapon against the armies of the Scourge and in this instance, the Scarlet Onslaught.

As Skum strode to the front of the army, the earth shook with his movements. Athrodar watched as the abomination made its way towards the cathedral doors, fully understanding that it had to smash them down. Just as the abomination reached the doors to the cathedral, Athrodar called out. "Wait."

Not fully understanding, the monstrous abomination turned to face him, his large head tilting a little in confusion.

"Wait." He repeated before making his way to the doors of the cathedral. "Members of the Scarlet Onslaught!" He yelled. "I have a proposition."

Several members of the Forsaken army were looking at each other, trying to get an understanding on what was happening. Edwards quickly came to Athrodar's side. "Sir." He spoke quickly. "What are you doing?"

Athrodar didn't vocally reply, instead he just lifted up his hand to stop the Captain from talking. "Surrender now, and your deaths will be swift. You will be laid to rest in the warmth of the afterlife." He glanced at the Captain. "Refuse... Well, you can see for yourself what we do to those who put up a fight." He gestured to the ranks of undead Scarlets. "You have until my patience wears thin, and I'm not a very patient man."

He made his way back to the head of the army, Edwards following closely behind. "You do realise they won't surrender to us, right?"

Athrodar laughed. "Of course I know that."

"Then why are you giving them an option you know they'll refuse?"

He stopped in his tracks. "Because, _Captain_." He glanced at the officer. "I want the fear of death to plague their very soul. With death being the only option for them, they will make decisions that will speed up their inevitable fate." He grinned wickedly. "Plus, I like to toy with the enemy before I kill them."

Captain Edwards began to stroke his chin before asking. "How long are you going to give them?"

"A couple more minutes. I've sent messengers to Koltira so he can update me on how goes the beach assault. Once I know his status on the situation, I will begin the assault."

Ten minutes had slowly crept by, much to the impatience of Athrodar. Once the messenger had finally arrived back with Koltira's situation, he was delighted to find Koltira had completed the task and was making his way up to the cathedral with the rest of the Forsaken forces. Handing the note back to the messenger, he turned to Edwards. "It appears their time has run out."

The Captain nodded and signalled for the abomination to smash down the doors to the cathedral. As he lumbered towards the cathedral doors, Koltira and the rest of the Forsaken army had met up with Athrodar. "So," Koltira started. "The final assault has begun." He turned to face Athrodar. "I didn't think you would wait for me. Worried you may falter without my assistance?" He chuckled.

Athrodar smiled back at his fellow Death Knight. "Please, I merely waited for you to join us so I could teach you how to properly assault a fortified building."

"What, by sending in the biggest guy first to take the full brunt of the holy magic awaiting him?" He scoffed. "That's child's play."

"Yes, that is. That's why I brought along mages to raise a magical barrier before the doors are breached." Athrodar glanced over to the doors, noticing them starting to give way. "Speaking of which, now would be a good time to demonstrate what I was just talking about." He signalled for the mages to start erecting a magical barrier over the abomination that will soak up most of the holy magic attacks as soon as the doors are breached.

The sound of the door giving way was a sound that sprung the Forsaken forces into action and the Scarlet Onslaught into panic as their screams filled the air. The magical barrier held the first two waves of holy spells before the rest of the army poured into the cathedral. Both Death Knights silencing the nearest casters, Athrodar commanding the archers and mages to focus on killing the priests that were healing the infantry.

"Koltira!" Athrodar called to the Death Knight. "With me!" He nodded at the command, manoeuvring his way around the fighting to get to him.

Upon arriving at his feet, Koltira asked him. "You called?"

"Yes, I need you for this and only you." He glanced to the back of the cathedral, noticing two heavily guarded Scarlet members which he figured out must be their leaders. He turned back to face Koltira. "We're going to cut the head off the snake."

Koltira made for the group of soldier guarding the the two scarlet officers whilst Athrodar made for set of stairs leading up to the second floor balcony which held a group of archers raining down arrows on the Forsaken forces. He made his way to the entrance of the balcony, only to be met by a volley of arrows flying past him as he quickly moved out of their line of sight, one grazing his helmet as it dared to take his life.

As soon as the arrows whistled past him into the wall, he launched his attack. Axes swinging at throats, chests and heads of the scarlet archers, silencing them briefly before raising them back into undeath to serve as fodder. Whilst he was raising the fallen scarlets, he looked over towards the group that Koltira had engaged in combat, noticing that the guards had shared the same fate as the archers, though the officers were giving him trouble.

"Light, grant me strength to vanquish these abominations!" Cried one of the officers. "I am High General Brigitte Abbendis, daughter to High General Abbendis, one of the founders of the original Scarlet Crusade and commander of Tyr's Hand. You have made a grave error coming here with your army of dead, one that I will see destroyed by my hands!" As if on queue, light burst out around her, sending Koltira flying back several feet and blinding Athrodar momentarily as he looked on. "Now I'll show you the real power of the Onslaught!" She made to charge for Koltira.

"Kill them, Abbendis! Do not fail me." The other officer yelled.

Athrodar's sight came back to him, rubbing his eyes and blinking in quick succession before getting back to his feet. He looked for the two officers, noticing that High General Abbendis was making her way towards Koltira who was still lying on the floor, clutching his chest that bore a nasty burn from the holy light.

Athrodar knew he wouldn't make it to him on time to deflect the oncoming charge from the High General. He looked around him for something that would distract her, finding a bow and a quiver full of arrows leaning up against the balcony to his right. Without a second thought, he grabbed the bow and withdrew one arrow and nocked it towards the High General. As he focused on the target, he drew power from within himself, an enchantment playing on his lips as weaves of blue light protruded from his fingers and made their way down the shaft of the arrow before enchanting the head with a icy blue glow, the same colour as his eyes and those of other Death Knights.

He let loose the arrow, watching it miss its mark as it flew in front of the High General and causing her to halt her charge as the cerulean blue streak following the arrow whistled past her face. She looked for the person who let loose such a projectile and met eyes with Athrodar as he removed the helmet that encumbered his aim.

The sound of metal hitting stone was all the could be heard by Athrodar as his helmet clanged on the floor. He drew another arrow from the quiver and nocked it, murmuring the same words that enchanted his last arrow with a blue hue and narrowing his eyes as he looked for the weak point in the High General's armour. She began to raise her shield at the inevitable arrow soon to come her way and made for the stairs that led to the same balcony Athrodar was on, ignoring the other Death Knight that was knocked back by the light moments ago.

A costly mistake.

Koltira rose to his feet and looked for the High General that was moving away from him. He bound for her and leapt, knocking her off her feet and causing her to go tumbling into a couple of Scarlet soldiers that were battling with Forsaken forces. She quickly got back onto her feet and, in her fury, charged into Koltira shield first, sending him back a few feet before he got his balance, her back to Athrodar and the impending projectile that will find its mark.

The twang of a bowstring, followed by the whistle of an arrow and the sound of it piercing armour, skin and bone. The High General fell to her knees, looking down at the arrowhead sticking out from her chest, trickles of blood coming from her mouth as she looked up at Koltira and muttered her final words. "The... Onslaught... Will never... die..." She collapsed to the floor, her axe and shield colliding with the stone that caused all the remaining Scarlet soldiers and the Forsaken to stop fighting and looked over at the fallen High General.

"You've served your purpose." Muttered the second officer, one who was seemingly unhinged by the fact the High General had fallen. He looked up at the countless undead now standing in front of him. "I will see you weaklings in Icecrown; if you live that long." He smirked at them before casting a magical barrier around himself and teleporting away. The remaining Scarlet forces, now leaderless, went into a frenzy and attacked at the distracted Forsaken forces, cutting down a few of them before they were quickly put to rest.

The siege on New Hearthglen was a success.

* * *

Athrodar walked down a narrow corridor that was leading him to the office of the Banshee Queen, two of her Dark Rangers stood on guard outside the door, talking amongst themselves. That was until he approached, causing them to stop mid conversation and eye him up and down, scanning for any weapons he may have on him.

He put his hands up in an innocent manner. "Ladies, I mean no harm to our queen." He smirked before gesturing to the door with one hand, keeping the other one up. "I merely come by to tell her on our success at New Hearthglen."

The two rangers looked at each other before one of them looked back at him. "Your name. It's Athrodar, correct?"

"Aye, that's me." Confirming his identity, he made to open the door into the Banshee Queen's office before being interrupted by the Dark Ranger who enquired his name

"Before you enter, the Dark Lady has instructed me to give you this." She reached behind her and pulled out a scroll from a small bag Athrodar only just noticed she had carrying around her shoulder.

He looked at the familiar wax seal on the scroll, one he couldn't place. He broke off the seal and read the scroll, both Dark Rangers standing behind him on the tips of their toes, peering over his shoulders to read it as well. At first he thought the scroll was addressed to the wrong person as they, on several occasions, had referred to him as Athrodar Sunblade, a name that was as familiar to him as the seal was, yet he could not place why he knew that name. It was only after the message had mentioned Elaria, Clara and Thalina that he knew it was addressed to him.

After he finished reading the message, he rolled it back up and turned to face the two Dark Rangers. The swiftness in these actions startled them at first, before they regained their composure. "This is a joke right?" He asked them.

Unable to push their curiosity aside, they snatched the scroll from his hand and read it between themselves, glancing up at him every now and then before carrying on. Once they finished, they looked up at him to answer his question. "I don't believe so. You do know who's seal this is, right?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "It looks familiar, though I cannot place the owner."

Looking a little amused with his lack of knowledge, one of them filled him in. "The seal belongs to the High council of Silvermoon. This one," She points to the wax seal. "Belongs to Grand Magister Telramar Dawnstrider. He mentions his daughter in the letter." She looked him in the eyes before concluding, "Someone I'm guessing you know."

"Yes... The name is familiar, though I don't know my ties to it. Only tales of a past I have been told were true." He rubbed his chin, seemingly lost in thought before asking. "What does he want with me?"

"He summons you to Silvermoon City." Came a voice behind him, causing the two rangers in front of him to stand up straight to attention. He turned around and saw Sylvanas standing by the door that he was facing away from. Before he could say anything she interrupted him. "What news on our little Scarlet problem?"

"The siege was a success, the Scarlet Onslaught decimated, the unlucky few who survived are locked up by the apothecarium as test subjects for this _New Plague_."

The manner on which he spoke those last two words were not lost on Sylvanas, nor the two Dark Rangers who stepped closer to him before Sylvanas waved them away. She narrowed her eyes at him before opening the door to her office. "Please, come in. We have much to discuss."

As they entered the office, Athrodar asked "Are they always like that?"

Sylvanas walked over to the large table in the middle of the office that held a map of Northrend, brushing her hand over the map whilst she walked around it. "I presume you're referring to Anya and Clea?" She made her way around the table and stopped at New Hearthglen before picking up a Scarlet knight. "Though extremely loyal and deadly, they both bring out their past selves when in close proximity to one another. At times acting childish and playful, almost as if they were alive again." She smiled slightly, it was something she envied. A friend, or at the very least an ear to confide in when times got tough. Though she never told anyone about this.

The smile wasn't lost on Athrodar however and he played with the idea of asking her a personal question before deciding it was best to bring it up when they were more acquainted with each other. Instead he settled for asking her about the message he received. "About the letter I received." He looked for it and noticed he left it in the possession of the two prying rangers outside. "What do you think it means? I don't know this _Grand Magister_ yet he speaks as if I should? Let alone this daughter of his, who's name has cropped up a few times now, that I have apparently been... Intimate with."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow at the last remark, not expecting him to reveal such a thing. "If you ask for my advice on the matter, then heed my warning. Those from our past lives are best left there. We have no time for the living as they don't understand the plight of undeath we must deal with on a daily basis." She tensed up in anger, tightening her grip on the Scarlet Knight statue still in her hand. "Nor do they care for us once they realise our situation."

Athrodar dared make his way towards the Banshee queen, stopping couple feet away from her and taking the Scarlet Knight from her hand, causing her to snap her head in his direction in anger before moving away from him. "You advise me to ignore the summons?"

She paused on the spot, thinking to herself briefly before answering the question. "No... Perhaps this can work in our favour." She moved towards the table once more, standing next to Athrodar and placing a finger on the map. "Naxxramas is located here, yet we alone do not have the forces to storm this floating fortress. With the aid of Silvermoon behind us, we may have the opportunity this campaign needs to get moving."

"You'd have me play ambassador to these people? What of the agreement!?" Anger rose inside him as the temperature of the room dropped.

"You will get what you asked for." The Banshee Queen remained calm, though on the inside she was furious at the outburst and challenge to her command. "You will act as Ambassador for this one mission. Who better than a former Son of Quel'Thalas to ask for more troops to Northrend?"

The anger that came over Athrodar quickly began to subside until it was no longer there. "Fine. Perhaps whilst I'm there I can convince this Grand Magister to leave me alone." He placed down the Scarlet Knight back on the map before turning to leave. "I best set off on this task."

"Before you go." Sylvanas made for her desk, picking up a parchment and quickly writing down a few lines of words. rolling it up, pouring hot wax on it to seal the scroll closed and stamping her sigil on it before handing it to Athrodar. "Hand this to Clea, she is my Dark Ranger-General, she will know what to do with it."

"What does it say?" He asked, hoping it wasn't out of turn.

"Orders for my people to address you now as a Death Ranger." She looked at him in the eyes as she handed him the scroll, noticing the slight hint of confusion at the title. "It's a rank made just for you, seeing as you're the only Death Knight wanting to be a ranger once more. You'll hold the same rank as the Dark Rangers, yet possess your own abilities. Don't be alarmed if they treat you as someone who's different though, because that's what you are to them. Different." The bluntness of her words didn't sting, for he knew they spoke the truth.

"Then I shall wear the title with honor and fight in your name under it, my queen." He bowed slightly before walking to the door.

"Another thing." He stopped walking, turning around to see Sylvanas standing right in front of him in close proximity. "If you ever speak to me like that again, it will be the last time you'll ever speak." Her voice was cold and full of promise at the threat. Athrodar made sure to take note of it.

"My apologies for the outburst my queen. It won't happen again." he bowed his head once more.

"You may leave."


	4. Chapter 4

**Homecoming**

The trip back to Undercity was full of … Nothing. The North Sea was calm and the winds were only there in a light breeze. No Alliance vessels in sight nor any harassment from pirates or sea creatures that were lurking about in the ocean, Naga or Murloc. Athrodar however, was having anything but an uneventful trip back to Undercity, he was being accompanied by Dark Ranger's Anya and Clea back to their city, escorting him to the Orb of Translocation that connects Undercity to Silvermoon.

They also didn't stop asking him questions about his Death Knight abilities, questions that can be answered by a simple demonstration or a quick explanation. They also asked him more personal questions, ones involving the Grand Magister they were off to see and the other names that were written down on the message he was given upon arriving back at Venomspite.

 _Sylvanas was right, they do bring out something in each other that would almost be like they were alive again._ He thought as they pressed him once more for information about his abilities, so much so that he actually sighed, though not needn't of breath. He pulled his hood up over his head and began to walk away from the two rangers, only for them to follow him closely, asking the same question over and over again until he lost his temper, causing the deck to freeze over instantly as he shouted the words. "Enough of these incessant questions!"

The two rangers exchanged looks of surprise before laughing. "Well," began Anya. "That took longer than we thought."

"It appears so, sister." Clea looks around the deck then at Athrodar. "Though he possesses more power than we first thought." Her red eyes flashed at the thought. "He yet may prove a powerful weapon."

Athrodar whirled around in anger, facing the two amused rangers. "All these questions and constant enquiries towards my abilities were what? A fucking game?" The air was getting colder, snow starting to fall from clear skies and slowly started to swirl around him.

The smiles and laughter were wiped away, replaced with caution. "Calm yourself Athrodar, we were merely gaining some information on what powers you have acquired from Arthas, so that we may have the upper hand in the war against him." Clea moved towards him, slowly extending a hand to place on his arm. "Now, calm yourself, _brother,_ for we are nearly at Tirisfal, followed by Silvermoon shortly after." She pointed towards the horizon, making sure Athrodar followed her hand towards the land mass appearing in front of them.

The red haze of anger that was clouding Athrodar's vision dissipated upon seeing the northern shores of the Eastern Kingdoms, filled instead with a clear mind of the ambassadorial mission he has been sent to deal with, along with the idea of putting some distance between him and the two Dark Rangers.

Or so he thought.

Upon docking in Tirisfal Glades, Clea and Anya began to escort Athrodar to The Ruins of Lordaeron and to the orb that would send them to Silvermoon City. Though the questions stopped coming his way, they still had the odd conversation with him, mostly about what the task was and how he was speaking on behalf of the Dark Lady when requesting more Sin'dorei to be sent to Northrend.

From time to time, the conversation would start to drift into more personal topics, mostly those about Grand Magister Telramar Dawnstrider and his daughter Thalina. When the topic was brought to light, Athrodar didn't shy away from it, only responding with the same answer he did back in Venomspite. "As I've said before, the name is familiar though I can't place a face to it. Nor do I fully understand why he wants to see me." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." he muttered to himself.

As they reached the Ruins of Lordaeron, Athrodar felt a strange feeling of home wash over him. In life he tried to avoid coming here due to the feeling of loss and pain the city had shown in its appearance, along with the brutal history that stained the walls in blood. Yet in death he found the ruins to be a welcoming sight, one he took in his stride as they walked through the main gates and soon towards the orb that would lead them to Silvermoon City.

The ruins were quiet due to the fact the Forsaken city was underground, fittingly named the Undercity. As the three rangers walked towards the orb, the warmth of Silvermoon and Quel'Thalas was slowly pouring out of the orb in small waves at a time. Not enough to warm up the ruins, but enough to feel the difference between Tirisfal Glades and Eversong Woods by walking into the same room as the Orb. Upon touching it, they were instantly transported to a room in Sunfury Spire.

Their arrival was one that was not expected as two guards, that were on watch of the orb, quickly rose to their feet and aimed their weapons at the rangers before realising they weren't the enemy. Quick glances and a few words between themselves were had before one of the guards ran to get someone of higher authority. Whilst one of the guards ran to get one of the council, Athrodar, Anya and Clea began to make their way through the spire, despite the remaining guard telling them to wait until one of the council arrive.

"This place is hotter than I remember." Athrodar groaned as he tried to find some form of shadow to hide in whilst they wait in the centre of the spire. "Where is everyone? The quicker we get this done, the quicker I can go to a more appealing climate."

"Patience, for we won't linger here any longer than is necessary." Anya replied, sitting down on one of the couches present in what looked like a hospitality suite.

Clea picked up one of the cushions, "Unless this Grand Magister has need of you for something." she inspected the cushion before throwing it at Anya, hitting her directly in the face which made her laugh.

"Hey! Do I have to stand in between you two so you stop acting like children? Because I will." Athrodar glared at the pair of rangers waiting for a response, one he was about to get before a different voice cut in.

"I was in the middle of a meeting, one which a guard had interrupted telling me that three Dark Rangers had surfaced in the transport room." All three rangers faced the voice, hoping to put face to it. "Yet I see your Queen is not amongst you. Tell me, why have you come?"

"Regent Lord, we are here on a mission of the utmost importance." Clea began before being waved off by Athrodar.

"We are here on behalf of the Dark Lady to request you send more troops to Northrend, namely Dragonblight." Athrodar moved closer to the Regent Lord. "We need the troops to take Naxxramas."

"You need reinforcements from the Sin'dorei? As I've said to your Queen, we have just fought a civil war, our casualties far out weigh our strong. What we have sent to Northrend already were the majority of our forces." Lor'themar rubbed his eyepatch. "Let alone the little amount of troops we have in the Southern Quel'Thalas, fending off the remaining Scourge there." He looked at Athrodar, not noticing he was a former Lieutenant Ranger of his people. "What would you have me do?"

"Where are your Northrend troops located?"

"All over. Why?"

Athrodar smirked. "Send messages to their captains, tell them to move to Venomspite in Dragonblight. We have a Scourge Fortress to take out."

Lor'themar noticed the expression on his face. "And what about this situation is amusing?"

"With the destruction of Naxxramas, Regent Lord, comes the much needed breathing space our forces need. With it, we can have less on the front lines as the Scourge will be recalling back their units due to this costly blow." Athrodar stepped closer to him once more. "And rest for those who deserve it."

Lor'themar thought on the proposition laid out before him. "I could send all my troops to Venomspite..." He began to pace the room. "The resulting victory would mean we get more troops off the front line, even if it's briefly." Continuing to pace the room, he thought about the plan in silence, much to Athrodar's annoyance.

The silence was broken however with the sound of a fifth person entering the room. "A strategy meeting without me? And with Dark Rangers nonetheless. Curious."

Anya and Clea looked at the newcomer before looking back at each other. "Athrodar, the Grand Magister is here." Clea said as she walked over to him, nodding over towards the Grand Magister.

Athrodar turned to face the Grand Magister, only to be met with shock and surprise, much to his amusement. "So, you're the one who sends for me. What is it you want?"

"It can't be." Grand Magister Telramar was in disbelief. "We heard words of you being found in Northrend, not that you had fallen and risen into... into undeath."

"Then it would be no surprise to you, _Grand Magister_ , that I had fallen in the Eastern Plaguelands, near Quel'Thalas and on the doorstep of Light's Hope Chapel." He scoffed. "Like the light could have saved me from death."

The Grand Magister had gone pale as Athrodar spoke, he thought back to the day his daughter Thalina had arrived suddenly in Sunfury Spire along with Clara and Elaria, his daughter pleading with him to send people out to look for Athrodar, yet he and Ranger-General Halduron Brightwing refused the request. "She tried to warn us of this..." He muttered. "She asked us to send people out to look for you, we refused." He leant up against a staff he was carrying with him, legs daring to give way to the weight of guilt that had been dropped on his shoulders suddenly.

Athrodar didn't fail to notice the state the Grand Magister was in. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Clea, Anya a word." They fell into place next to him.

"What is it?" Clea asked.

"Take the Grand Magister back to his chambers, I'll join you shortly." He looked at the Lor'themar, who had removed himself from conversation, just far enough away to give Athrodar and the Grand Magister some privacy. "I shall finish talking with the Regent Lord." He looked at the two rangers. "Let's hope he has come to an agreeable conclusion to the request."

Both dark rangers made their way to the Grand Magister and took him to his chambers somewhere in the Sunfury Spire. Athrodar made his way to Lor'themar who was waiting for him with his answer. "So, have you come up with an answer Regent Lord?"

"Yes... I have got an answer to your request." He sighed before continuing. "Tell Lady Sylvanas she can expect Sin'dorei troops to arrive within the next seven moons."

"Thank you Regent Lord, I will inform her of your decision." He began to walk away before remembering. "I almost forgot, the Dark Lady would like you to be present in the siege. She wouldn't want to be the only one grabbing glory from its success."

"Of course she does..." He mumbled to himself. "Fine, I will arrive as soon as I am able."

"The Dark Lady will be pleased with your answer to both requests." He bowed before to the Regent Lord, who waved it away, which made Athrodar smile as he walked out of the room, off to find the Grand Magister along with Clea and Anya.

Finding them wasn't as difficult as he first thought. Walking through the spire seemed all too familiar to him, yet he was sure he had never been to Silvermoon. At least, not in undeath. The Grand Magister's office was easy to find as both Clea and Anya were standing outside by the closed door, seemingly waiting for Athrodar to show up. When he did, Clea warned him that the Grand Magister was not alone in there. "He has two other elves in there with him, one of them Sin'dorei the other is Kaldorei."

The news of a Kaldorei being allowed entrance into Silvermoon made Athrodar stop moving, only to look at Clea with a confused look on his face. "What's a Night Elf doing in Silvermoon?"

Clea shrugged her shoulders. "You'd have to ask him, there's a human in there as well. I may not have seen it, but I could definitely sense there was a human with them."

Athrodar sighed. "Why do I have a feeling they're here for me."

"That's something you have to find out yourself. If you need us, we'll be out here."

Athrodar nodded at Clea in understanding then moved to open the door. He put his hand on the handle before it was opened for him on the other side. The action was so swift that it startled him momentarily, long enough for him to miss the gasp from the female Sin'dorei who had opened the door.

"Athrodar... No..." Her hands flew to her mouth as she started to back away from him, shaking her head the whole time.

"The visit will be brief, where's the Grand Magister. I'd have a few words with him, in private." Athrodar walked into the room, not even giving a second thought to the stricken blood elf or the two Alliance members who were helping her stand.

"What, not even a hello?" Asked the Night Elf. "Not even for an old friend?"

Athrodar sniggered. "Couldn't have been that close. I died alone out in the Eastern Plaguelands, where were you?"

Elaria stood up and made her way to Athrodar, stopping inches in front of him. Her eyes were full of anger. "You know where we were! I have explained this to you when you were tied up in Northrend, we done all we could but you were surrounded by Scourge!"

"And then I became them. Funny how that works." His reply was cold and lacking of emotion. He began to search the rooms for the Grand Magister. "Where is he?"

"What do you want with my father?" Asked the Blood Elf.

Athrodar faced her, showing no love in his eyes that were normally there when he looked at her. "I'm not going to kill him, if that's what you're thinking. I just need to talk to him."

"You don't remember who she is, do you?" Asked Elaria, her voice was starting to show signs of emotion. "You don't remember any of us do you?"

He looked around the room, taking in all three faces of his former friends and travelling companions. "You were all close to me. Once."

"And now?"

"You're all just remnants of a life I left behind. Though unwillingly." He closed his eyes and placed a hand on the wound that was inflicted on him almost a year ago on Acherus. "Where's the Grand Magister?"

"He's sleeping." Elaria pointed to the room he was in. "He should be awake in a couple of hours. He didn't look in the best of shapes when your two friends brought him here." She sighed. "Now I can understand why."

Athrodar pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Fine, if I'm staying here until he wakes up, can any of you mages make the climate a little less... annoying?"

Both mages looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" Asked Thalina.

"He means the heat!" Came the voice of Anya outside, followed by the sound of a slap. "Ow!"

"Shh!"

Athrodar shook his head in disappointment. "Do you two ever stop eavesdropping on my conversations?"

"Sorry." They both replied.

Athrodar walked to the door and opened it. "You both may as well come in then, if you're so interested in what we have to say." Before he could get a reply, they pushed him out of the way and entered the room that was being chilled for their comfort.

Elaria made her way to them and extended out a hand. "I'm Elaria of the Argent Crusade." She waved her hand over to the two mages that were casting spells to chill the room. "The human is also of the Argent Crusade, her name's Clara and the Blood Elf is Thalina, daughter of the Grand Magister."

"And a formidable Fire mage, thank you very much." Thalina added.

Clea took her hand cautiously and shook it. "I'm Clea, Dark Ranger-General and this is Anya." She nodded over towards Athrodar. "He however, is a Death Ranger." She saw their confused looks and decided to fill them in on this unique rank. "He's a ranger using his Death Knight abilities to, let's say, power up his ranger abilities."

Elaria raised an eyebrow and looked at Athrodar for confirmation. "Is that so.. Like what?"

Athrodar took out an arrow from his quiver and held the end of the shaft, arrow head pointing up. He then focused on the head for a second before two cerulean blue streaks started twirling up the shaft of the arrow and to the head, infusing it and causing the arrow head to glow a bright blue, full of power. He looked at the three pairs of widened eyes with amusement. "Is that what you wanted to see?"

Without hesitation, Thalina made her way towards him and took the arrow from his grasp, inspecting it the whole time. "Fascinating. The whole arrow feels cold to the touch and I can sense the power that has been infused into it." She handed back the arrow to him and noticed something that threw her off for a second.

"What?" He asked, noticing she was staring at him.

"Your hair. It's black now." She looked sad. "It used to be golden like the sun." She reached out to touch it, but he pulled her arm away before she could.

"Part of being dead I suppose." He looked at her in the eyes and saw her discomfort as she looked back into his and only seeing the icy blue glow of necromantic magic that coursed through him. She was also in pain at how tight he held onto her arm as he pulled it away, noticing this he quickly let go. "I'm sorry."

Thalina smiled at him and waved off the apology. "It's nothing, don't worry." Her smiled faded as she looked down at the floor before looking back at him with saddened eyes. "Do you really not remember?"

"Remember what?"

She looked around, noticing Elaria and the two Dark Rangers were close enough to hear their conversation so she dragged Athrodar out the room, despite his fighting back to stop it from happening. Once they were outside she continued the conversation. "Us, do you really not remember me, Elaria and Clara?"

Athrodar tried to think of a way to answer the question without hurting her too much but figured there was no way to do it other than ripping off the bandage quickly. "I remember." Thalina's eyes widened and she was about to hug him before he put his hand up to halt her. "But, the emotions that were tied to those memories have been wiped away."

Despite the confession, Thalina moved closer to him and extended her hand out to touch his cheek. He stopped her at first, placing his hand on her arm, but let go shortly after when she gave him a small smile. This allowed her to continue with her plan, placing her hand on his face and was not as shocked as he thought she would be when he felt cold. To him however, the warmth of her hand on his cheek was bliss, something he didn't know he missed until that very moment.

Before he could stop her, Thalina wrapped herself around him in a tight hug. Luckily he didn't need to breathe as her grip would have caused him to gasp for air if he were alive. Athrodar was about to ask what she was doing but found he couldn't, instead he just put a hand on her head and began to stroke her hair. This simple act made Thalina well up with emotion and she began to lightly weep, her face pressed against his chest.

In life, he would have tried to comfort her to the best of his abilities to get her to calm down, however in undeath, the sight of her crying was beginning to frustrate him. Before he would allow this to carry on any further, he pulled Thalina off him in one quick motion and looked at her as she stood at arms length from him now. "You need to stop this." He pointed at the tears running down her face.

"I've missed you." Was her only reply.

Without a second thought to his answer, he said. "You're going to miss me a lot more. We're heading back to Northrend." He walked back inside the office and towards the two dark rangers before Thalina could say anything else.

Clea saw Athrodar walking towards her and made her way to him, shortening the distance between them quickly. She raised an eyebrow as she saw Thalina walking back into the room, tears still visible in her eyes. "Had a pleasant conversation?"

"Let's go, the Dark Lady would like an answer sometime soon I'd presume."

It was Anya's turn to speak. "What of the Grand Magister, don't you have to talk to him?"

Athrodar looked back at Thalina who was being comforted by Clara. "No, I believe we're done here, what I had to say to him doesn't matter any more."

Clea looked at Anya who shrugged back at her, both thinking it was best not to press the conversation any further than that. "I suppose our time here has come to an end. The Dark Lady said she'll meet us in Undercity before we leave, that's the best bet at our next destination."

Athrodar nodded in understanding, not needing to say anything as they left the Grand Magister's office, Elaria, Clara and Thalina still inside. He was going to say a couple of parting words to them, but thought it best not to do so as it would only rub salt into the wound.

 _Besides, you'll probably never see them again._


	5. Chapter 5

**Strategy Meeting**

Undercity was bustling with activity, much to Athrodar's surprise considering the state of the populace. Though undead, the citizens of Undercity were trading as if they were still alive, whether it be cloth, herbs, food or steel, there was always something to trade. The bargaining of different prices between customer and salesman, the sound of merchandise being purchased and sold made the citizens feel like their old selves, in a cruel twist of irony that would see their hopes of being alive again extinguished when trading with other forsaken. Their flesh showing signs of slow decay, limbs being all but skeletal with other body parts being replaced with foreign objects, whether it be similar pieces or metal welded on to act as the missing part did. Some even going as far as to not repair that which was once broken, in order to come to terms with their cruel fate.

Athrodar moved towards the Royal Quarter, only to be greeted by a sight he didn't think he would see in such a forsaken place. A queue. Except, this queue stretched from the Royal Quarter all the way to the middle of the Apothecary Quarter, much to their annoyance as the citizens waiting to address their queen were in the way of their work. Thinking it was below him to stand in the line, he skipped the whole thing entirely, working his way down the corridor that led to the throne room. Nobody dared speak up as they saw his ranger uniform and thought it was best not to intrude on what could be an important matter.

Entering the throne room, his gaze caught that of his queen, Sylvanas Windrunner, who noticed him entering the room, followed by that of a demon that was towering above her to her left. He had only known the demon by name, not by stature, something he was taken back with at first. Varimathras was a Nathrezim, Dreadlord, and one loyal to Sylvanas since the Lich King's hold on her had broken and she had fought to reclaim Northern Lordaeron back from his forces. She knew better than to trust the demon fully, commanding him to kill his brothers to prove his loyalty, something that was forbidden in their society.

Athrodar made his way around the stone dais, that was constructed in the middle of the room, and sat on the steps that led up to Sylvanas and her dignitaries, waiting for 'his turn' to speak, whilst taking in the scenes around him. Particularly the conversation going on at this moment between a disgruntled farmer and the High Executor of Tirisfal.

"The Scarlet Crusade located near my farm are becoming a problem!" The farmer unwrapped what looked like destroyed herbs from a blanket he had with him. "I was going to sell these to the herbalists and potion makers in the market when they were grown, now I can't do exactly that!"

The High Executor picked up a couple of the herbs and began to inspect them, once he come to a conclusion, he handed them back. "The Scarlet Crusade are still a problem, one that needs to be addressed sooner than later, but the majority of our forces are stationed in Northrend. However, I can spare a few guards to help protect your farm and fend off any member of the Scarlet Crusade that dare to attack again."

The farmer reluctantly accepted this offer, wanting more guards to defend his farm but knowing he couldn't make such a request considering where most of the forsaken army was located. He moved off the dais, only to be replaced by another with a different reason for being here. Such was the way of politics and the responsibility of those higher up to deal with such things.

Minutes flew by, with problems being dealt with in one way or another. Whether they were truly dealt with, Athrodar didn't know, or care. Once Sylvanas was finished with one of the many citizens that had queued up for her, and her dignitaries council, she waved over for Athrodar to approach her. Doing as commanded, he made his way over to where she sat on her throne. Crouching down to get within ear shot of Sylvanas, he began to inform her on what he had discussed with Lor'themar the whole time he was in Silvermoon. He told her that he will move all the Sin'dorei troops towards Naxxramas for the assault, which pleased the Dark Lady, all of which was discussed in hushed tones so only she could hear it.

Sylvanas beckoned him closer, making certain that nobody would hear the next question. "What of him joining us in the assault?" She moved away slightly to catch is reaction to the question and was pleased when he gave her a small grin.

"He was reluctant at first, but knew better than to argue." He looked around the room, noticing that Ambassador Sunsorrow was paying close attention to them, much to Athrodar's curiosity. "That one doesn't trust me, does he?"

Sylvanas followed his gaze until she set eyes upon the Ambassador of Silvermoon, causing him to look away uncomfortably. "You're new, plus he doesn't trust those who are formerly high ranking members of the Scourge." She looked back at Athrodar, noticing he was staring off into the general direction of the Ambassador, yet not directly at him. "Does this bother you?"

Athrodar let loose a small chuckle, catching Sylvanas by surprise. "The judgments of the living no longer concern me, for I don't serve them." He looked back to Sylvanas, "What of the plans for Naxxramas, when do we start?"

Sylvanas looked up at the entrance to her throne room, noticing that Clea had just walked in and was making her way towards the pair of them. "It appears we are ready to start planning." She stood up from her throne, walking to her office and beckoning those who are of importance to the siege of Naxxramas to follow her, leaving her ambassador's and advisors to aid with the problems the citizens bring up.

Athrodar looked around, and noticed there was a tall someone missing. "You don't intend to bring the Dreadlord in on this meeting?"

"I have need for his... _Council_... elsewhere." Sylvanas opened the door to the war room and made her way towards the table in the middle of the room. On it, an empty looking map of Northrend, one that would need updating and fast. "As you can see, we have a lot of planning to do." She gestured to the map.

Athrodar was taken back at first, noticing how empty the map was and how little the Forsaken knew about the continent. _You don't remember much of the continent, especially after your run in with the light._ He winced, knowing that his thoughts, although betraying him, were right in the matter.

"Lor'themar and his officers should be here soon, I have sent a messenger to retrieve them." Sylvanas looked around the room before back at the map. "Before he arrives, I'd like some input on the map." She glanced at Athrodar before continuing. "Seeing as you've spent the longest on this continent, I'd like you to fill in the missing pieces."

"The Knights of the Ebon Blade didn't share their map?"

"What are you saying?"

"Their map is, let's say, a lot more complete than this one, my queen. It is a surprise to me that they didn't share it with you before departing for Northrend."

Sylvanas' demeanour became that of anger, knowing that a supposed ally had kept information from her. "It appears they have more information on this continent than they'd like to share." Her eyes flashed with anger at the notion, her fingers digging into the wood of the table as she tried to calm herself before she let out a banshee scream in frustration.

Seeing his queen was holding back her anger, Athrodar quickly spoke up. "Then it appears to be fate that led me into your service." He moved towards her, even daring to stand within her close proximity. He pulled out a small version of the Map of Northrend the Ebon Knights have and placed it on the table in front of her.

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It appears you have brought us something of value." Picking up the map, she began to inspect it and was surprised by how detailed it was compared to the one she had set up on the table in front of her.

"My gift to you, my queen." Athrodar bowed his head and backed away from the table.

"This map will give us the edge over the Alliance and the Scourge that we need." She rolled up the map and handed it over to Clea. "Send this to the cartographer. Tell him to make as many of these maps as possible." She grinned wickedly. "This is the start of something new in this war. One that will tip the scales in our favour."

* * *

Clea returned some few hours later and was surprised by how quickly the map in the centre of the room looked more appealing and that of a war map. Many statues indicating different forces were places around the map, the majority of them in Dragonblight near Naxxramas. Walking towards the table, she placed down a small crate that contained a handful of maps, enough for those who will be attending this war council. As soon as she placed down the crate, she made her way towards Sylvanas and informed her on Lor'themar's arrival.

"He also brings Lady Liadrin and..." She looked back towards Athrodar, who was still placing statues on the map.

"And? Who else is with them?"

Clea quietened her voice to a whisper. "Grand Magister Telramar Dawnstrider's daughter. Apparently she is leading their Magi units."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "He sends his daughter to do something he is more experienced in?"

Lor'themar walked into the room shortly after. "He sends his daughter because he has to look after Silvermoon in my stead, seeing as you'd have me leave it to go on this siege of yours."

"I would have thought you'd like a part in killing the Lich that drained our sunwell all those years ago, Lor'themar."

"Countless lives lost for one necromancer..." Lor'themar pained at the thought. "How are you so certain he resides within that necropolis, Sylvanas?"

The lack of usage of her title wasn't lost on her, though she let is pass. "I have my resources, _Regent Lord_ ," She gestured towards Athrodar.

Lor'themar looked at Athrodar and let out a little laugh. "Your errand boy? How would he know of such a thing?"

"Regent Lord, if I may." Thalina was standing in the back, yet made herself heard to everyone present. Lor'themar allowed her the turn to speak her mind. "This _errand boy_ as you so kindly put it, is the very same ranger you sent away over five years ago on a mission that only wanted the best of the best."

The Regent Lord thought back on that day, vaguely remembering the events that transpired. "Impossible. He was sent to an assassin organisation that requested someone of his talents, why would he be under the banner of the Forsaken."

"The same way everyone finds themselves under the banner of the Forsaken, Regent Lord. I was risen into undeath under the banner of the Scourge," He glanced a look at Thalina before looking back at an uncomfortable looking Lor'themar. "A year under their banner before having my connection to him severed by Highlord Tirion Fordring and finding myself lost in this world, until I found Lady Sylvanas." He stared at the Regent Lord for a long period of time, making him more uncomfortable than he already was. "You want to know how I know Kel'Thuzad is in Naxxramas? It's because I placed him there."

Lor'themar reacted in a way the Athrodar didn't expect, drawing his sword and pointing it at him, his voice was low. "What do you mean, you placed him there? How high in their chain of command were you?"

Despite having a blade pointed at him, Athrodar remained calm. Going so far as to placing a hand on the blade, cutting into the reanimated flesh that now covered it and freezing the blade where he held it. So much so that it was turning to ice as brittle as glass. He looked at the Regent Lord in the eyes, his own glowing that intense cerulean blue when he was showing his power. "I was second to the Lich King himself, Kel'Thuzad was following my command."

There was a collective grasp behind Lor'themar but none from the Regent Lord himself, Thalina was aghast at the story, not knowing the full extent of what happened to him in Northrend. "Athrodar... I'm sorry th-"

"Spare me your pity." He snapped back at her. "I may have taken it in life, but I definitely don't need it in death."

She pained at the confession, slowly beginning to break into a sniffle and holding back as much of her tears as possible. She turned to Liadrin, who had dropped her sword that was raised at Athrodar only moments ago, "This was a mistake.. I shouldn't have come here."

Liadrin pulled Thalina into her embrace, allowing her to cry on her chest. "I'm going to take her to her quarters to calm her down." She glared at Athrodar before asking Sylvanas. "That is, if I knew the way. I don't suppose you have someone who could guide us to our chambers?"

Sylvanas, who was now sitting down, observing the whole situation play out before her, beckoned Clea to her side. Once she was close enough, she told her to do exactly what Clea expected her to. "Take them to their chambers, see them looked after by Archibald, he knows what to do from there."

Clea nodded in understanding to her queen and took Liadrin and Thalina to their chambers. On her return back to the war room, she was met with an entirely different scene than the one she left with. Lor'themar sat at one end of the table with Sylvanas at the other end, Athrodar was standing in the middle of the pair of them, showing both leaders the updates he had done on the map the past couple of hours he spent on it.

A couple more hours passed of Athrodar informing both parties on where the Scourge were located, how many were there and where were their weak points. He also told them of what the Knight's of the Ebon Blade were doing, along with the Argent Crusade and the Alliance they have formed in order to slay the Lich King.

Lor'themar sniggered. "A fanatical group, fighting in the name of the light and a renegade group of Death Knights, hell-bent on killing their former master." He shook his head. "They will not accomplish anything."

Athrodar smirked. "Yet they had more information on this continent than you did, with their actions laid towards key points in the Scourge defences."

Lor'themar grimaced at the hard truth of it. "Under the command of you, no doubt. A useful tool of information, seeing as you were so influential as to put Kel'Thuzad in leadership of Naxxramas." He stood from where he sat, hand firmly grasping the hilt of his sword. "Tell me, _Death_ _Knight,_ what was your role with that butcher Arthas again? His personal lapdog, one what would see his word and will done?"

Something inside him snapped and before he knew what he was doing, Athrodar bound to Lor'themar in a blind rage. It was only when Clea had manoeuvred her way towards him and pushed him towards a wall, pinning him in place, did Athrodar see clearly at what his intentions were. "Calm yourself Athrodar. Do not do something that will see you killed."

Lor'themar's temper flared at the scene that unfolded before him, outraged at what he believed was an attempt on his life. "You trust this Death Knight!?" He glared at Athrodar before turning to address an impassive Sylvanas. "You would lay your trust in someone this unstable, to command your forces into Naxxramas, a Scourge fortress? Clearly he is still under the control of the Lich King!"

Athrodar roared in anger at the accusation, pushing aside Clea who did not account for his strength, he bound for Lor'themar once again. This time, it was Sylvanas who stood in his way, blade drawn to his throat as she held him up against the same wall he was at seconds ago. "Clear your head, or see it parted from shoulders." Her warning didn't go unnoticed. Nor did the growing intensity of her crimson eyes that showed off her ever growing anger.

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself from the situation that just unfolded before him. "My actions were not my own." He eventually said. "Nor were they the actions of _him_. I have yet to get my anger under control." He looked at Lor'themar who was standing by Sylvanas, hand still on the hilt of his blade. "Though I am not under his control, I still have built up anger for what he made me do on that frozen wasteland."

Sylvanas read his facial and body expressions and saw him warring with himself, something she was all too familiar with in her early days of being set free from the grasp of the Lich King. She removed her knife from his throat and gestured towards the entrance to the war room. "Take leave and clear your mind, you are of no use in your current state."

"But my Queen I..."

"Leave, now! Or so help me, you'll wish you weren't free from his grasp." Her tone was threatening as she warned him for the one and only time.

Knowing he was not going to win this battle, Athrodar only nodded at took leave of the meeting. Sylvanas and Lor'themar returned to the table, along with Clea. "He is a dangerous one, that Death Knight of yours, both for the enemy and for us. I would keep a close eye on him in the coming weeks, making certain that he doesn't do anything that would see us all killed." Lor'themar's warning didn't go unheard as Sylvanas took it to note.

"You don't think I have already set plans in motion to see him kept under watchful eye?" She moved behind Clea, placing both her hands on either shoulder. "I have set my best ranger on the task of keeping him out of trouble and reporting back to me if anything were to happen involving him and the safety of my people."

"And nothing has happened that is of worth?"

"Nothing has happened as..."

Clea interrupted Sylvanas, something she wasn't at all comfortable with, but had a good reason for it. "Actually, my queen, something did happen."

Sylvanas made the Dark Ranger-General face her. "What happened?" She glared at her, making certain that she was not amused by the timing of this new information.

* * *

Athrodar found himself wondering around the Undercity canals, not knowing what to do with himself. He had taken the advice from Sylvanas and went to clear his head from recent events, yet he couldn't seem to do so, he felt a pang of guilt yet didn't know the reason for it. Needing a change of scenery, he began to walk through Undercity, past several vendors, bank clerks and the bat handler before finding himself at a rising platform that would take him to the Ruins of Lordaeron.

Reaching the surface, he felt the cold breeze of winter caress his face. Though being dead did come with its own curses, one being the inability to fully feel anything physically. It was there, of course, but like that of a feather being placed ones hand, you tend to forget it's there if you don't acknowledge it.

 _Still, it was better than being in Undercity a second longer._ He thought as he made his way around the ruins towards the old throne room and the place where Arthas took his own fathers life. He walked around the room, taking in the little details that remained there since that dark day, from the torn drapes and several weeds that dared to take over the walls, to the dried blood of Terenas Menethil II that had marked where he was struck down.

He crouched down and placed a gloved hand over the dried blood, which is when he was hit with a sudden flashback, one he had never been a part of. He was taken back to that day, the day where Arthas raised Lordaeron and Capital City to the ground. The power the Lich King bestowed upon him also appeared to have given him a part of Arthas' memory. He stood from where he was crouched and found he was witnessing a past event that he had no control over. He was there, only to bear witness to this world changing event.

The world around him was shrouded in a ghostly veil. He watched on to see Terenas Menethil sitting on his throne, awaiting his son to return from Northrend. Athrodar began to walk around the room slowly, taking in everything that was happening, from the royal council on the balconies, to the bell ringing with the arrival of Lordaeron's favourite son. He watched the door fly open and a cloaked human walk in with two personal guards, it was Arthas, coming to do what he set upon doing the moment he landed on the shores of the Eastern Kingdoms.

Arthas walked into the middle of the courtroom, drawing Frostmourne and kneeling down to his father and king. "Ah my son.."

Before Athrodar could finish hearing what Terenas was saying, Arthas' voice rang loudly in his head. "You no longer need to sacrifice for your people. You no longer need to bear the weight of your crown. I've taken care... Of everything." Arthas stood up from where he was kneeling, pulled off his hood and drew Frostmourne into his grasp before walking over to his father. His two guards breaking off from him and walked towards the palace guards, catching them unawares and killing them on the spot.

Arthas made his way up the steps to the throne, where his father stood. grabbing him by the shoulder and placing the tip of Frostmourne on his chest, where his heart lay. "What is this? What are you doing, my son?" The look on Terenas' face was that of pure horror, seeing his son was seconds away from taking his life.

"Succeeding you.. Father.." He plunged Frostmourne deep into his father's chest, so deep in fact that the hilt of the blade touched the entry wound. Arthas placed one of his booted feet on his fathers chest, next to the blade, and pulled Frostmourne out swiftly, pushing his fathers body onto the floor with his foot whilst doing so.

The crown that was on the king's head, rolled down the steps one by one, getting to the last step and chipping off a piece before hitting the floor and rolling several feet before coming to a stop, smearing blood across the stone floor whilst doing so. Arthas' voice bellowed in Athrodar's head once more. "This kingdom, shall fall... And from the ashes, shall arise a new order, that will shake the very foundations.. Of the world!"

Before he knew it he was brought back to reality, yet he wasn't in the same place he was when the vision started. He was balled up in a corner of the room, clutching his head as if in agony. The room around him was covered in ice, something he is becoming all too familiar with. He stood up from where he was sat and felt groggy, as if he had been crying for a long period of time, yet there were no tears. He was about to make his way out of the ruins when he was interrupted by a voice.

"What happened here?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Forsaken Allegiances**

The voice asked again, sounding closer this time as the owner dared to take a few steps towards the seemingly unhinged Death Knight. "What happened here?"

He wasn't facing the form that was asking the question, though he felt they deserved an answer. "It happens, from time to time when I get a strong wave of emotions wash over me." He looked at the corner he was huddled in, ice still visible there. "Though, I can't seem to control it apparently."

"What did you feel for this to happen?"

"I don't know." He turned to face the voice. "What do you want?"

"The usual thing people like me want, world domination, servants to bend to my will, all the other dictator stuff people ask for." The tone was sarcastic, which was matched with a smirk to reassure that they were joking.

Athrodar knew this and let out a hearty chuckle at the confession. "It's Liadrin, correct?"

She wore simple linen robes that glowed a faint yellow due to being enchanted with countless spells in Silvermoon to keep them pristine and clean. She looked out of place there, A bright light surrounded by death. She raised an eyebrow at the question whilst also being a little hurt and him not recognising her. "You don't remember your favourite priestess turned paladin?" He shook his head at the returning question. "I've got to say, I'm a little hurt you don't remember me."

Athrodar sat down on one of the stone steps leading up to the throne. "What can I say? A lot has happened in the past six years, I don't remember much of my previous life." He let out a small laugh. "Or should I say _lives_ since I've had more than one."

Liadrin moved to sit down next to him, a few yards away, enough to be outside arms length.. "Yes, you were an assassin before... This" She gestured to all of him.

"And a ranger before that." He shook his head whilst smiling at a thought that crossed his mind. "It's funny."

"What is?"

"I don't think I'd do anything different if given the opportunity." He looked at his gloved hands before clenching them in anger. "Not even kill Arthas before he sacked Quel'Thalas."

"You know, talk like that is what makes people think you're still connected to him." Liadrin whispered to him before sitting up straight with pride. "I know I'd kill him if given the opportunity to go back in time." She tilted her head in confusion. "Why wouldn't you?"

"I was evacuating mine and the Grand Magister's family out of Quel'Thalas before he got to our village. If I went on a suicide mission before hand to kill Arthas, and failed, who knows what would have happened to them." He looked up at the ceiling, staring at nothing in particular. "Not that they matter to me now."

"You don't mean that, I saw how you looked in that war room talking to Thalina, and again when you were walking around the city. You still feel something for them."

"Were we in the same war room? Also, you were following me around the city?" Athrodar narrowed his eyes at her, wanting a good reason as to why she was following him.

"Oh don't give me that look, I was talking to the Tauren your Dark Lady keeps in the city and saw you walking around the canals. But you do still feel something, if not your family, then it's _her_ you feel something for." She shuffled closer to him. "You know, I may be a paladin, but I am also a priestess, you can trust me with your secrets." Her voice was low, making sure no prying ears could hear her words.

Athrodar looked around, making sure nobody could see them. When he was certain the area was clear, he leaned in towards Liadrin who done the same. She was surprised he was willing to give up a secret so easily, it was making her giddy. He pulled a knife from behind him, and showed it to her. "I stole this from a Scarlet Crusader in Northrend. Although, he was dead at the time, so I guess it wasn't _really_ stealing."

Liadrin looked at the dagger for a longer period than what was normal. When she eventually tried to say something, she found she couldn't. He done exactly what she asked of her, he told her a secret nobody else knew. Yet, it's not exactly what she was looking for. Her mouth was open, yet no words were coming out. She had a look of confusion on her face as well, not knowing what to do with this secret that was granted to her. She wasn't mad at him, as he done exactly what she asked of him. Instead, she felt a little homesick as a part of her wanted to go back to Quel'Thalas. Not the Quel'Thalas as it is today, but the Quel'Thalas that existed between the second and third wars. More specifically, the time when she had this exact same conversation with Athrodar, him telling her a secret, but not the one she wanted to know.

She looked at Athrodar and gave him a warm smile, failing to notice the fact she had a single tear running down her face. "You haven't changed." She said to him, placing a hand on his shoulder before standing up. "You need to talk to her. Clear some things up between the two of you, maybe then you'll stop feeling whatever it is you're feeling."

Athrodar yelled back to the retreating form of Liadrin. "I have no idea what you're on about!"

* * *

Sylvanas' mood had soured since the start of the war meeting, Clea was the only one in the room with her, Lor'themar being dismissed once Clea told her what happened on the way back from Northrend. She was giving her a wide berth as to not get too close to her in case she let her frustration out on her. "I entrusted this Death Knight with leading _my_ Forsaken against the Scarlet Crusade before we knew what he was capable of!" She picked up a small horde flag that was placed on the map and crushed it in her hand.

Clea feared for her life. Although she knew her queen wouldn't do anything to her, Sylvanas' demeanour was terrifying to look at. "M...My Lady if we give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he.."

"Benefit of the doubt? He could be a Scourge agent sent to infiltrate our ranks! Who knows what lies he would spin just to keep us away from the truth!" The thought of Athrodar being a Scourge agent and her believing his story so easily angered her. So much so that she let out a banshee scream that had been building for some time now. Clea held her hands to her ears tightly as the sound of the scream was deafening. She fell to her knees in agony before Sylvanas eventually stopped after seeing her Dark Ranger-General in pain. "Bring him to me. NOW!"

* * *

Some time had passed since the conversation with Liadrin happened, he made his way out of the ruins, finding himself under a dead tree staring up at the night sky, lost in thought. He was brought back to reality when the sound of a cough came from the side of him to get his attention. Looking towards the noise, he saw Clea standing there looking impatient. He also noticed some dry blood in her ears. "Am I needed for something?"

"With me, now." She turned to walk back into Undercity, not responding to him when he asked what happened for her to have dry blood in her ears. She led him through the ruins and to the lift that would take them down to Undercity. Knowing that he wasn't going to get an answer to his question, Athrodar fell into place behind her as she walked towards the Royal Quarter and eventually the war room where she left Sylvanas to brood.

Entering the throne room, Athrodar noticed how eerie the whole thing was with nobody in sight. The darkened room was lit by candles that encircled the entire room with Sylvanas' throne directly in the middle. Which is where he saw Lor'themar standing, hands behind his back as he waited for Sylvanas to calm down from her outburst that they could all hear from where they stood.

As they approached the door that would inevitably open up to the war room, they heard a banshee scream come from within. Although a thick wall and door stood between them and Sylvanas, the scream still managed to pierce through them, though not to the full extent as it would if they were in the same room as her. As she stopped, Clea looked up to Athrodar and mouthed the words "Good Luck" before opening the door.

"Leave us." Was what immediately greeted them upon entering. Clea, being the loyal ranger she was, left the room as soon as the words left her queens mouth. Athrodar looked around the room and at the mess that had been created since he left. Chairs had been smashed into several pieces, the map, that he had planned out for a couple hours, was bare again with the statues that represented where everyone's armies were placed thrown about the room, either in a similar condition to the chairs or in a pile of ash and dust where Sylvanas had used some of her shadow magic to disintegrate them.

"My Queen, what's..."

She cut in. "When were you going to tell me?"

He tilted his head in confusion, not know what she was on about. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean."

The idea of having to explain herself frustrated her, especially as he was still an unknown entity to her and the Forsaken. She clenched her fist that was holding her bow, something Athrodar failed to notice upon arrival, seeing as the room and the state it was in was distraction enough. "The trip back to Tirisfal Glades from Northrend, when were you going to tell me!" She knocked and arrow and aimed it at him.

He placed both his hands in the air, showing that he wasn't holding anything, not that she asked him to do so, it was out of habit. "Whoa. Okay, okay... I'll talk." Although she didn't fire the arrow into him, she didn't withdraw either. "There _was_ a... small... incident on the way back from Northrend." She pulled back on the bowstring some more, not satisfied with what he had to say so far. "Clea and Anya were asking question after question for hours on end, eventually I snapped and, well, froze the deck of the ship."

She stared at him for a bit, assessing his side of the story with Clea's. When she had come to a conclusion, she asked him another question. "How did you break free from his grasp?"

Knowing she was on about the Lich King, he answered her question, albeit a little sick of the story by now. "I was captured in Utgarde Keep by some Wildhammer Dwarves. They eventually took me to their base, which is where Highlord's Mograine and Fordring found me." He let out a small smile "After some flimsy attempts at interrogation, Highlord Fordring tried a different approach." He closed his eyes, remembering the searing pain that he felt. "He bathed me in as much holy light as he could muster, not enough to kill me but enough to inflict as much pain as possible." He looked over at Sylvanas, her bow still drawn.

Although she heard a brief version of the story, she hadn't heard his side of it. "And?"

"That's when I felt him... Disappear?" His face was neutral after that, remembering the feeling of being lost in this world. "He was no longer whispering in my head, controlling my actions... I felt lost, like I had no purpose any more."

Sylvanas lowered her bow and put the arrow back in the quiver. She too knew the feeling of being lost in the world after her connection with the Arthas was severed all those years ago, not knowing fully if it was true or he was messing with her like he did so often in the past. Feeling uncomfortable at the sudden upbringing of past emotions, she pressed on to a different subject. "Can you control, whatever it is that caused damage to one of my ships?"

"No, and I don't know what it is exactly... But what I do know, is that it's some how tied in to my emotions." He shook his head, knowing that it was a lame excuse at such an ability. "At least, that's what I've pinned together from it all."

Sylvanas walked around the table, cautiously getting closer to him as to not trigger whatever it was he can't control. She placed a hand on her throat as she spoke. "My Banshee scream is tethered to my anger, though I can control it, most of the time, I know what you mean by it being tied to your emotions."

Athrodar looked around the room once more, before looking back at her, eyebrow raised. "Couldn't have saved something for me to remake the map?"

Though she knew he was joking, she still gave him a look of distrust. "What makes you think you're still in charge of the map? In charge of the planning of this siege?" She stepped closer to him, standing directly in front of him and tilting her head up slightly as to look him in the eyes. "What makes you think I still have use of you, hmm?"

"Oh you still need me." He stood behind her, placing both his hands on her shoulders and leaning in for a whisper. "I know the ins and outs of Naxxramas. Of Icecrown Citadel itself. Every entranceway, the location of important targets, even where he keeps Frostmourne itself." A menacing grin played on Sylvanas' face as she realised how useful he actually was, how much information he supposedly held that would turn the war in her favour if she were to exploit such a thing.

She was a woman craving power, one that would seek as much of it as possible, no matter the cost. "Tell me everything you know of this place." Her eyes were wide with curiosity about finding out more of Naxxramas, hoping for key information that would see a victory fall into their hands.

An hour had passed by, Athrodar her vital information for their campaign against Naxxramas, even going as far as to pointing out several of the Lieutenants that had been stations within, and their respective quarters. The conversation even went as far as to talk about the Lich King's domain itself, Icecrown Citadel and the bare basics of the whole thing. "I don't know how much has changed since I left, but I did help design the whole thing so maybe they left one of the entranceway's in that could lead us to Frostmourne."

She placed a hand on his forearm, something that was very unlike her she noticed but did so anyway. "You may have changed the fortune of this war even more." She looked at the map of Icecrown itself. "Does the chamber that holds Frostmourne also connect to that of the Lich King's?"

"If they've kept the layout the same, then yes, it leads towards the upper spire and to the frozen throne itself." He looked at his queen with a bit of uncertainty at her question. "Though it would be suicide if anyone were to go in there alone without an army at the very least."

"Perhaps we just need a small team to work their way inside, kill Arthas were he sits and this war will be over." She seemed to agree with her own point, walking away from him and nodding as if she had just heard someone tell her that plan.

"Heed my warning, my lady, no small force is strong enough to face him. You need the best of the best, from both factions in fact, just to stand a chance. Something we don't have here."

She span on her heel in a single rapid motion, facing him and glaring into his very soul. Or what would be his soul if it wasn't taken by Frostmourne. "I will NOT stand by whilst there's an opportunity to kill that traitorous, butchering bastard once and for all!"

"Yet doing so will create an opportunity later in the campaign to see his head lopped from his shoulders, finally seeing an end to this menace." He pointed at the map, specifically at Naxxramas. "Let's take this necropolis out of the sky, only then can we start looking towards Icecrown, if everyone else does what they set out to do."

She thought hard on his suggestion, only to give him a small sigh and a nod. "Fine, I can see that your warning is of sound mind. We will take out Naxxramas and the scourge within, only so that we may weaken his hold on Dragonblight and Northrend as a whole."

The rest of the day was full of planning, Sylvanas had called on Clea to gather everyone to the room, this included Lor'themar, Liadrin and Thalina as well as the Grand Executor that would lend aid in commanding the Forsaken forces. Athrodar had informed them of the different quarters of Naxxramas; Plague, Arachnid, Military and Construct, each housing their own Lieutenants and monstrous beings. He also told them of how each side had a special rune that needed to be shattered in order to get to Kel'Thuzad. Normally it wasn't used, but in times of defence, they would activate the runes so as to keep attackers from killing their leader.

After the meeting was adjourned, Sylvanas told Lor'themar to get his ships ready for departure on the light of the fourth sun. He frowned at how soon he had to get ready with his armies, but thought it was futile to argue, though a part of him was excited at the prospect of killing a major leader of the Scourge, one that could deal a deadly blow to the Lich King and his armies.


	7. Chapter 7

**Windrunner's Acquaintance**

A fleet of five ships left the coast of Tirisfal glades, Forsaken and Sin'dorei ships both heading north-west towards Dragonblight with _The Windrunner_ leading the way. Aboard the vessel was Lady Sylvanas herself, accompanied by her Dark Ranger-General Clea with several other dark rangers accompanying their Ranger-General, and her new weapon, Death Ranger Athrodar. Next to _The Windrunner_ was the Sin'dorei flagship, _Sun's Wake_ , with Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron leading the way for his Sin'dorei, Lady Liadrin and Lady Thalina Dawnstrider accompanying him.

Or so that's where Athrodar thought she was.

Instead, she found herself on _The Windrunner_ along with the Forsaken forces, after Clea had convinced Sylvanas, along with Liadrin, that there was a rift that needed to be closed between both Athrodar and Thalina. As petty as Sylvanas thought of it all, she allowed her onboard as she thought it would allow them to work together when the siege of Naxxramas happens.

Sylvanas was at the helm of _The Windrunner_ , where she was most comfortable on any ship really, Athrodar was to her left, leaning against the side of the ship and looking out into the ocean, deep in thought. Events had passed by quicker than he had anticipated as not so long ago, he was making his way down to Utgarde Keep to confront Prince Keleseth and his reasoning behind letting the Horde and Alliance set up camp in the Fjord.

Whilst thinking back on what had happened in the past month or two, he was distracted by the ever nearing footsteps of someone who wasn't Forsaken. The first thing that came to mind was a Dark Ranger had made their way towards him, but the distinctive sound of breathing had thrown him. Ever since being raised from the dead, his hearing had become more acute to such things, noticing it a lot more now than he ever did in life.

He turned to look at the elf that had meant so much to him in life, not entirely surprised she had found her way onto this ship of all things. "Well, this was inevitable." He began, shaking his head. "Though, I can't say I'm surprised that you're here." He looked over towards _Sun's Wake_ and saw Liadrin looking back at him, giving him a slow nod. "I'm guessing Liadrin is behind this."

"And Clea." She replied before leaning against the same railing he was on. She looked up at him, though he didn't return the look. "We need to talk."

"Why are you here?" He responded, not ignoring the fact that they did need to talk. "Surely you need to look after your child."

She placed a hand on his arm, causing him to glance down at it briefly before looking back at the ocean. " _Our_ child. And no, my mother is looking after her. After all, she has always wanted another one. Plus, it gives her something to do, seeing as my brother is fighting with Clara and Elaria, and my father is looking after Silvermoon in the Regent Lord's absence."

"You could have gotten any other Magister to lead the Magi forces." His intentions were to find out why she was really here, not buying for a second it was to help out her father.

"We've had a similar conversation before, you know." She turned to face him, still leaning on the railing of the ship. "You not remembering who I am, only to eventually be reminded of those feelings and memories when spending time with me."

He scoffed. "This is nothing like that, I remember you and what I felt. Though those emotions were taken from me, like my soul and my life by the tyrant we're eventually going to kill." He turned to face her this time, his face was void of emotion. "You want to know what I feel now? Anger, hatred and guilt."

Her eyes went wide at the confession. She moved closer to him, seeking to embrace him, something he had read she was about to do so he placed a hand on her chest, stopping her from getting closer. She looked him in the eyes, and saw the pain and anguish in them through the blue glow that had dominated most of his eyes. Her ears bent down, feeling sad as she couldn't help the internal war of emotions he was feeling, though he wouldn't admit it. "You're hurting, even now. I can see it in your eyes."

He was taken aback by the accurate reading she had just done. He was on the back foot of this conversation, making him unsteady for the first time in a while. His features, though normally stoic, had gave off a hint of surprise at how much she knew without him saying anything. He quickly removed his hand from her chest and began to rub his temple, trying to quell the inner war that raged inside his head.

She placed her hand once again on his arm, trying to soothe him all she could. "Athrodar..."

He moved his arm away, making her lose contact with him before beginning to walk his quarters. "Leave me alone." He snapped at her as she repeated his name. He walked down the steps to the main deck, not failing to notice an amused looking Sylvanas before making his way further down towards his quarters.

Thalina turned her head towards the Sin'dorei ship that Liadrin was on. She looked over to her and shook her head in defeat, much to Liadrin's annoyance. She pointed towards where Athrodar walked, hinting for her to follow him to a more private location, one where he may be more comfortable in talking. She followed these very simple instructions and made her way down to where he went.

"What is her obsession with that Death Knight?" Lor'themar asked Liadrin, making his way to stand next to her.

"She's fighting to get back the man she loves, something I know all too well about." She looked back at him, giving him a smile before looking out into the ocean. "Although that was a long time ago."

Lor'themar smiled back at her. "How different our lives could have been if the Amani didn't interfere."

"How different our lives could have been if the Scourge didn't come to be, or the Horde invasion not taking place at all." She faced him again. "All speculations that we will never know the ending of."

Athrodar was back in his quarters, though the internal conflict he had going on in his head was driving him insane, so much so that he began to succumb to the voices in his head telling him different things. Most Death Knight's had something similar happen to them within the first couple of weeks of being set free, but none of them were as close to the Lich King as he was, nor were they under his influence for so long. Sensing that the room was getting colder, Athrodar snapped out of whatever trance he was in and began to try and control what was inevitably going to happen if he didn't calm down.

A different voice entered his head, one that belonged to Arthas, though it was that of the memory he had witnessed not too long ago. _You no longer need to sacrifice for your people... I've taken care of everything... Shake the very foundations of the world..._ He clutched his head tightly, ignoring the door opening to his room and the dramatic drop in temperature once more. "SHUT UP!" He yelled, hoping to stop the voices in his head that had consumed him fully.

Thalina didn't dare to get close, the temperature in the room dropping even more, rivalling that of Icecrown itself, even with his internal conflict coming to the surface, she managed to stand by the door even if every fibre of her being was yelling at her to comfort him and calm him down. "Athrodar!" She shouted for him to get his attention. "You need to calm yourself!" But her attempts at getting his attention were for nothing.

All the noise had alerted Sylvanas however, causing her to come rushing down to see what was happening. "What's going on here!?" She demanded from Thalina.

"I don't know, my lady. I found him like this, he seems to be in conflict with himself." She began to shiver as the cold had begun to spread out the room. "I tried to get him to calm down, but I don't think I can survive in there for long. He is making the whole room too cold for anyone living to survive in there."

Sylvanas knew what she was getting at, though she didn't want to be the one to do it. She sighed in frustration, "Fine, hold these." She handed Thalina her bow and swords. She began to make her way towards him, noticing that the room was starting to freeze over, causing the wood to groan with the sudden drop in temperature. Snow began to fall in the room as well, seemingly from out of nowhere, much to their confusion.

When she reached him, she done the only thing she could think of which was to wrap her arms around him in a tight embrace, rocking back and forth whilst starting to an sing old Thalassian song in his ear. The whole act brought back memories for her however, to times when she had done the same thing for her younger siblings, Vereesa and Lirath when they were upset. It was clearly working however, as the snow stopped falling and all the yelling he was doing ceased.

A couple minutes more passed by, Sylvanas still holding him in her arms whilst Thalina watched, accompanied by Clea. When she had finished singing, she didn't get up from the floor, instead instructing the two women who were watching to leave the room, much to Thalina's disapproval. "My Lady, if I may.."

"I said leave, Magister." As much as she tried to hide it, her voice was shaking a little, the memories of Vereesa and Lirath bringing on fresh tears that she tried her best to hide. She hadn't spoken to her sister since before Arthas had invaded Quel'Thalas, much of it being her fault, seeing as she didn't want any contact with her only living relative. Lirath on the other hand, she had never truly gotten over his death after the second war, and with the disappearance of Alleria, who was now presumed dead, these were memories she didn't want a part of any more.

A tear left her face and landed on the now sleeping form of Athrodar, whom she still held tightly as if it were Lirath himself. The whole ordeal had taken its toll on him, exhausting him so much that he actually slept, something the undead only done for recreational purposes, trying to keep some sort of similarity to their life before death. She eventually stood up and placed him in his bed, sitting down next to it on a half frozen chair that was slowly starting to thaw.

Hours passed by, Sylvanas still sitting at the chair, only this time working on something that was brought to her by Clea. She was writing up documents to be sent back to Undercity, giving them instructions on how to deal with certain issues that had been brought to her, as well as giving instructions to recruit more troops, smith more weapons and armour and to build more ships.

Athrodar awoke suddenly, drawing a dagger that was sheathed on his belt seconds ago, as if waking from a nightmare, only to find himself in his cabin. Seconds later he was hit with a massive disorientating headache that he knew wouldn't go away for sometime. He blinked hard several times, trying to get his vision under control before he turned to see Sylvanas sitting by his bed, writing on pieces of parchment, its contents above his pay grade.

She knew he was awake the moment he shot up from his slumber, though was taken back a bit by the unsheathing of the dagger that was still in his hand. "You're awake then."

He rubbed his eyes with one hand, only noticing that he held a dagger with the other when he fully became aware of his surroundings. "What happened?" he asked, swinging his legs around so he was sitting on the bed, facing her.

"What do you remember?" She continued writing on the parchment, pulling out another fresh piece to start writing another message to send to someone of importance.

"The last thing I remember was walking in here to get away from the Grand Magister's daughter. After that, I have no idea."

Knowing she was the one who had to explain the event that transpired here only a few hours ago, she placed down the quill and began telling him everything. His reaction was neutral, for a short period, only changing to that of surprise when she told him what she did to calm him down. As the story continued, his memory on what had happened was coming back to him, even those of Arthas' memory coming back to haunt him during this whole ordeal.

After she finished telling him what happened, she had something else she wanted to get off her chest. Seeing as there was no better way in asking, she just outright said it. "Who were you talking to?"

Knowing there was no way around it, he responded truthfully, knowing all too well what would happen if he hesitated, or even lied. "Arthas." Sylvanas' eye widened as she recoiled backwards towards her weapons. Seeing her quickly go for one of her swords, he quickly explained. "Not the current one, it was a memory of his that I've been _gifted_ with." The way he said it, she knew it wasn't something he wanted, nor did she feel like he was as big of a threat as he was seconds beforehand.

Feeling she needed more before she could fully understand what he meant, she continued her line of inquiry. "What do you mean, a memory of him?" She focused on him now, knowing whether or not he was going to lie to her or not.

He closed his eyes, dropping his head so his chin touched his chest, not wanting to admit this little gift that was given to him. "When he named me his second, he granted me an extraordinary amount of power, along with..."

"...A part of him?" She asked, jumping to the conclusion before he could finish his explanation, much to his relief. He nodded, not wanting to say more on the matter as it was something he didn't want, yet had no power to refuse it. She made her way towards him, crouching down and lifting up his head so he looked at her. "What did you see?"

"Him murdering his father." He replied dryly. Sensing that she knew she wasn't going to get much more out of him, she moved back to the desk and continued writing down on pieces of parchment. Now it was Athrodar's turn to ask questions, starting with one that would give answer to his confusion. "Why did you stay?"

Her ear twitched, something that hadn't happened to her for years, especially not since she had died. She stopped writing and stared at the wall in front of her, not knowing how to answer the question without appearing weak. Knowing she had no way around it without admitting something she had hoped to avoid, she sighed before answering. "I was... emotional... during the whole thing. It brought back memories of my brother that I had pushed away." She turned to face him. "I didn't want anybody to see me like that. I have a reputation of being fierce and emotionless, that small moment of weakness wouldn't uphold to that reputation, so I stayed."

She wasn't entirely sure why she had told him that, only after it was said she realised she could have just lied to him, but she felt like she had a mild connection to him, one where she could confess certain things to him, knowing that he wouldn't pass them on to anyone else. She was lost in the idea of having, a friend? No, she didn't need that. All she needed was someone to confide in, but could he really be that person? Whilst she was asking herself all these questions, she was brought back to reality by the exact person on her mind. "Well, thank you for.. You know."

She stood up from where she was sitting, collecting her bow, quiver and swords and placing them on her person before opening the door to the room. Before leaving, she turned to face him, a small smile played on her lips. "You're welcome." She took a couple more steps before stopping again to look at him, her face grew serious. "Get it under control, as I won't be doing it again."

Before he could reply, she had already made her way up to the main deck before returning back to the helm. He stood up from the bed, noticing she had left her documents where they were, not that it bothered him however, such things were not of interest to him. He looked around the room to gage how much damage he had caused to it, only noticing a couple of things had been broken, though they were easily repairable.

As he looked around the rest of the room, he was assaulted from behind by a figure much smaller than him. "Thank the light you're okay." Came the voice he had known to be Thalina's. She had wrapped her arms around him from behind and buried her face in his back, tears rolling down her face. "You are okay, right?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He replied, though wanting to be alone with his thoughts at this very time. He looked down at her hands that were holding on to him tightly. "Can you let go?"

It took all her willpower to do exactly that, not wanting to be parted from him again. She backed away a couple paces before looking down at the floor, avoiding eye contact with him before speaking up. "I still love you, you know. I always will."

He looked out the window of his cabin, seeing the boat rocking up and down with the waves. "I know."

Forever being the stubborn type, she moved closer to him again. "I fought tooth and nail to save you that day. I begged the Ranger-General to send a rescue team to get you, but I was met with refusal."

The memory of that day played in his mind, the arrow that somehow missed every member of the scourge and hit him in the chest, the countless cuts and slices into his flesh from the skeletal horde, the spear the went through his leg, then the eventual impaling of Frostmourne in his abdomen. The images were so vivid, he felt a twinge of pain on his abdomen, chest and leg where he was stuck with different things. He eventually hung his head, knowing what he was about to say was the right thing to do. "I don't blame you... Either one of you, for leaving me there." He looked back up to the window. "My fate was inevitable as soon as that arrow pierced me."

Fresh tears rolled down her face, her emotions were tied strongly to this elf in a way she couldn't help, she approached him again, this time resting her head against his back, but not going in for the full embrace, much to her own surprise. "Thank you." Was all she managed to say before taking her leave.

"Wait." He called to her, causing her to stop in her tracks, surprised that he said anything at all in all honesty. "You can stay here, seeing as I don't need to sleep. It's a lot nicer than where she has made you sleep, that I'm certain of." He berated himself at the invitation, knowing that he had to distance himself from the living, yet found he couldn't do so for some reason.

Her eyes widened at the proposition, not expecting him to offer such a thing. She bowed her head slightly, not knowing what else to do. "Thank you."

He nodded back to her, moving towards the desk that had Sylvanas' missives laid out. He piled them together before picking them all up as a whole and walking to the door, where Thalina still stood watching him. As he walked past her, he noticed she was still staring at him, much to his confusion. He tilted his head, "What?"

She took this opportunity to do something she knew he didn't want, yet she couldn't stop herself. In a flash she closed her eyes, got onto her tiptoes and planted a small kiss on his cheek before walking into the room he offered her to stay in. Not thinking much of it, Athrodar walked to the stairs that eventually led him up to the deck of the ship, making his way towards Sylvanas' cabin to drop off the parchment he picked up before leaving.

The rest of the trip passed by in a similar fashion, minus the outburst from Athrodar, although he did seem in a calmer state of mind since the incident. Though, he was pushed to his limits on several occasions as Clea found herself bored upon the vessel carrying them to Northrend. She amused herself by asking Athrodar very trivial questions, as well as just annoying him in general. She had found her new friend when Anya wasn't around, much to his dismay.

Thalina hadn't left him alone either, but for entirely different reasons that didn't frustrate him as much, though there was some annoyance in it. She had stayed close to him, like a duckling following its mother, save for the times he had run into Clea and her constant games she played with him. She knew better than to be around him during those times, sensing the situation had always frustrated him whenever Clea got bored.

So when the time came, Dragonblight finally within their sight, he felt relieved as it meant he could distance himself from them and anyone else that would serve to be a nuisance in the not too distant future.

As the ships docked at the newly constructed port near Venomspite, Athrodar quickly made himself scarce, not helping with the unloading of cargo, instead he wondered the beach, far from the road to Venomspite but still within earshot in case he was called upon. Luckily he wasn't, which gave him time to clear his head from the activities he had to endure on the trip to Northrend, and go over the plan for Naxxramas in his head over and over again.

He had stood there for hours, still going over the plans in his head whilst also thinking back on other subjects, most of which were things he had done whilst under the control of the Lich King. He was so lost in thought, he hadn't noticed he was standing on the ocean itself rather than the ocean floor, his ability to freeze water without thinking coming into action when he least expected it. The tide had come in quicker than he thought it would, not that he cared much, seeing as how he could stand on top of the water by freezing it underneath him.

Better yet, he could lay on top of it, which is what he did. He stared up into the night sky, something he did back in Tirisfal Glades almost two weeks ago now. Yet unlike then, his mind trailed back to the slaughtering of innocent lives, just to build the floors of Icecrown Citadel. Nothing seemed more fitting than to have it lined with the bones of their enemies, a job he was instructed with along with an army he had commanded. His mind was filled with the screams of women and children, the anguished cries of the fallen and the tormented outbursts of the tortured, all done by his hands as to get information on other living creatures on this continent.

The bone chilling cackling that came from him when all this was taking place.

He stood up now, pacing along the frozen water, trying to get the images of the countless lives he had taken during his one year of torment here, out of his head, but to no avail. The images of each individual face, from Taunka to Tuskarr, Frost troll to Vrykul, even the Alliance soldiers he slaughtered, before raising them into undead, raced through his mind like a cruel slide show. As the images flashed past in his mind, he fell to his knees, clasping his head with his hands and breaking into an anguished cry of defeat.

"I'm sorry." Was all he repeated, time and time again, as if the spirits of the dead could hear his pleads of forgiveness.


	8. Chapter 8

**Step One: Secure the Entrance**

The sun had crept through the morning clouds, it's piercing rays shining on a defeated looking Athrodar. He was on the sand, the tide going out once more. He was kneeling down, his head lowered and arms gone limp by his side, the events of the night before still fresh on his mind, one he had sort to clear beforehand. Though the continent was still as cold as it had ever been, the feeling of the warm sun caressing his face had stirred him out of his defeated state, causing him to look back at the sky.

With the turn of a new day came the idea of clearing his mind from all past events and moving on from this sombre state of mind. After all, he was tasked with leading the first scouting mission towards Naxxramas today and he needed to be fully focused on that mission, with no distractions. He got to his feet, stretching his limbs for staying on his knees all night caused them to go stiff, even if he was undead.

Making his way up to Venomspite, he was impressed by how quickly the Sin'dorei forces had gathered from all corners of Northrend to complete their mission tasked to them by their Regent Lord. Continuing to stroll through the town, he came across a command table that was occupied by Liadrin, Thalina and Clea with the Regent Lord standing close by, looking at the newly detailed map of Dragonblight he had pinned up on the wall next to them.

Clea, noticing his return, left the command table briefly to run over to him, falling into stride next to him as he continued walking. "The Dark Lady has requested your presence." She paused, looking away as they carried on walking. "Hours ago."

"You should have come and got me, you knew where I was." He continued walking, this time towards where he knew her to be.

"I did, but you seemed distracted by something so I didn't bother you." She lowered her head, knowing she shouldn't have said anything but was now too late to take it back.

"WHAT?" Realising he yelled, catching everyone's attention, he pulled her closer so as not to allow anyone else to hear. "You saw... What did you see?" She just looked up at him, not having to say anything as she knew he understood she saw everything she needed to. He lowered his head, looking dejected. "Tell no-one of this, okay?"

She smiled at him, placing her hand on his arm momentarily, rubbing it up and down as to comfort him. "Your secret is mine to keep, don't worry." She moved away walking back towards the command table, Thalina noticing the whole exchange, couldn't help but feel saddened at his comfortable demeanour around a woman that torments him so, whilst not giving her the time of day.

Shortly after, Athrodar found himself in Sylvanas' office, her mood wasn't welcoming to the ranger as she called upon him hours ago, only for him to show up late. He knew she was angry, specifically at him and his lateness, which is why he opted to stand on the far end of the room to her, giving her enough room to brood. When she spoke, her voice was calm, which put Athrodar on edge. "Where were you?"

"I was, busy, with something. I apologize for my timing, I should have arrived when asked." Although he technically did go to her when he was asked, he wasn't going to show light to Clea's defiance of her queen's orders.

Sylvanas was looking out the window, not at him. "You were busy with something." She repeated, sarcastically. Not wanting to press him further for the truth, she decided to let it slide. She had a mission prepared for him, one that he could complete without any difficulty. "The scouting mission, I pushed it up for last night, but seeing as you decided to show up now, I guess it's a better time than never.

"I will see it done, my queen." He bowed to her, turning to leave the room when suddenly, Sylvanas had grabbed his upper arm, turning him back around to face her.

There was a look of concern on her face, she knew why he was late, but wanted to hear it from him. "Are you okay?" She looked towards the window in her office, seeing a view of the newly constructed port. "You looked distressed."

He looked out the same window briefly before looking back at her. "We'll talk about it when I get back." Her behaviour seemed odd to him, though he didn't press her for a reason.

She gave him a small smile, nodding. "I'd like that." Instantly berating herself for sounding so.. flowery. She shook her head at how pathetic she sounded. "Take that Magister with you."

Athrodar, now facing away from her, hand placed on the door handle, closed his eyes at the request. He was tired of her presence around him, she was spending as much time with him as possible, even when he was trying to distance himself from her specifically. "My queen, I don't think that's the best of ideas. She doesn't know the first thing about scouting missions."

"Which is precisely why I want you to take her, and a handful of her mages. They could use the experience, and I figured the task was easy enough without them, why not add a little challenge to it." She sat down at her desk, going back to her work.

Sensing that he was dismissed, he left her office. Walking over towards the command table, he pointed at Clea and Thalina, who were still talking strategy amongst themselves. "You two, with me." He continued walking towards the barracks, not waiting for them to catch up.

They both looked at each other as he pointed towards them, both of them shrugging at each other before following him. When they caught up to him, Clea spoke up to him, a trace of authority in her voice. "You do realise I am YOUR commanding officer, right?"

Athrodar stopped walking, realising he was being scolded for giving command to someone of higher authority. "Right, sorry." The apology made Clea laugh, not exactly expecting him to say that.

"I'm pulling your leg, you're the lead on this mission, we're following your command."

Athrodar turned to face Clea. "Gather Kalira, Loralen and Lyana. I figure if we're going to scout out Naxxramas, we will need more than one group of rangers." Clea nodded her head in understanding before heading off to find the three rangers. He turned to Thalina, placing both hands on her shoulders, causing her to smile up at him shyly. "Get those who you believe won't make this difficult for us. Keep the number small and make sure they're fast on their feet. If we get into trouble, we need to get out quickly.

Once everyone had gathered on the outskirts of Venomspite, they started to trek out towards the grain fields in which Naxxramas was floating above. Athrodar pointed up towards the fortress, spotting a skeletal dragon flying lazily around. "Keep an eye out for that Frost Wyrm, it may seem far away now, but it will be on us within seconds if we're spotted."

The mission was going as expected. They split off into two groups, either one going in separate directions. One led by Athrodar, the other by Clea. Accompanying him was Thalina, Lyana, a blood elf priest named Bael'tharon and a frost mage named Sera. The latter of which seemed to stick by Athrodar a lot more than he'd like, occasionally having to tell her to step back. With Clea was Kalira, Loralen and a couple of Sin'dorei mages who's names Athrodar didn't get before they departed in the opposite direction.

Whilst out in the grain fields, Athrodar stopped suddenly as he noticed a scourge patrol walking by. This action caused Sera to walk into the back of him almost instantly, falling backwards into Lyana, who caught her for a brief second before dropping her on the floor, the sound of disgust playing in her throat whilst doing so.

He turned around, eyeing the mage on the floor before looking up at Lyana, who gave him a shrug of innocence. "What? She fell on me, so I let go."

He looked down at the mage, who was finding her feet once more. He glared at her as she finished brushing off dirt and snow that had clung itself to her robes. "Watch where you're stepping, or go back to Venomspite. We can't afford you tripping over each of us out here."

She lowered her head in embarrassment, not wanting to share eye contact with anyone. "S-Sorry, it won't happen again."

The whole thing mildly reminded him of his trip to Silvermoon through the Eastern Plaguelands, Thalina doing something similar. He looked to the back of their little column, "Bael'tharon, up here." He looked back at Sera. "Stay at the back, where you won't get in my way."

As she walked to the back of their little party, Thalina made her way up to the front with Bael'tharon, her mind set on scolding Athrodar for his less than respectful behaviour. "What was that?"

"What?" He looked forward, watching the patrol walk by.

"That! You treating her like a child!" Although they were whispering, the anger wasn't lost in her voice.

"If she acts like a child, I'll treat her like one." He signalled for Lyana to come forward, to which she complied. "That tree line over there, that's our next destination." He pointed towards what he was talking about, a couple hundred yards in front of him. "Watch out for the patrol that just made their way past us. I expect them to double back soon, so make it quick." Knowing her task, Lyana set off for the tree line.

"You don't exactly have the loving, caring demeanour you used to have in life." She stared at him, though he was looking out for Lyana's signal for them to move forward, much to her annoyance.

"So you admit she was acting like a child. Glad we got that sorted." Noticing the patrol was coming back, he ducked down slightly, causing everyone else to do the same.

"Acting like a – I never said she was!" She looked behind her, noticing Bael'tharon and Sera were watching their conversation with interest. "You don't know the stories they tell of you back in Eversong, do you?"

"Bah, what do I care for stories." He was crouched, awaiting Lyana's signal that was taking longer than he thought it would.

"They tell of your heroism in the Second and Third wars, how you got to honor Silvermoon once more with that, in my opinion, stupid mission to become a deadly assassin, only to die heroically saving their Grand Magister's daughter from certain death." She looked at Sera then back at Athrodar. "She was awestruck to meet you in person, let alone go on a mission with you."

Athrodar snorted. "Welcome to reality kid, where your heroes are nothing more than a soldier who got lucky." He smirked as a thought crossed his mind. "Let alone seeing them in a completely different light, or should I say a shade of darkness." He looked at Sera who turned her gaze away from him. "There's nothing special about me, the sooner you realise that kid, the sooner you'll be treated with respect."

Thalina shook her head. "You're just an arsehole who doesn't live up to the stories." She sighed, sadly. "You weren't always like this."

"Dying does that to you." He glanced back to her before looking ahead again. "You remember the details however, so I won't bore you with them." Noticing the signal from Lyana, he signalled for Bael'tharon to go towards her.

Watching the priest cross the opening, she turned back to Sera who was looking downtrodden after listening in to their conversation. "Don't look so down, if you had met him in life, he would have lived up to your expectations and then some. Take my word for it." She smiled at her and rubbed her arm in comfort, which got her a smile back.

Athrodar scoffed upon overhearing their brief conversation. "If my memory serves me correctly, you didn't exactly have an easy time around me." Once the signal came to send the next one over, he signalled for Sera to make her run. He had expected her to trip up on the way across, but she didn't. Whether he was surprised or not, his face remained still.

"In the beginning, no, you didn't exactly make my time easy," She replied, a smile playing on her lips. "My love for you was a distraction though, so I didn't mind as much." She crouched by his side, awaiting her turn to cross. "It's still there, even if yours is not."

He glanced at her, noticing the concentration on her face as she awaited her turn to cross. He tried to respond to her confession, something he had heard time and time again, but found he couldn't. Instead, he watched for the signal that came a few seconds later. She began to dart across the opening but was spotted by the same patrol that nobody had kept an eye out for, including himself. "Shit." He saw a spear gliding through the air towards her and ran to grab her arm, pulling her out of the way as the spear flew past her face.

A light shield had been placed around them quickly, Bael'tharon acting before thinking. Normally this was a smart move, but considering who was in that shield, it was doing more harm than good to him. The patrol made their way forward towards them, though Lyana made quick work of them, firing an arrow or two before engaging the last with her sword. All the while, Athrodar was down on one knee, clenching his teeth from the sudden pain the holy barrier was giving him, the same one that was supposed to protect him.

Seeing he was in pain, Thalina yelled at Bael'tharon. "Drop the barrier!" Noticing what the barrier was doing to him, he instantly stopped casting it, feeling a sense of guilt wash over him now. Thalina knelt down by the still kneeling Athrodar, helping him up to his feet. "Are you okay? Do you need some time?"

He shook her off his arm. "I'm fine." He snapped through gritted teeth as he began to march over towards the ever shrinking priest. "Next time, read the situation. If you're with undead allies, don't use your holy magic on them." He shook his head as he led the party through the trees.

Lyana fell into step behind him, giving the priest a cold smile as she followed Athrodar. Sera, Thalina and Bael'tharon grouped up and began walking together behind the two rangers. "I don't much care for these Dark Rangers." Bael'tharon began. "They don't seem to care much for the living amongst them."

Sera nodded. "They treat us like kids, like we don't know any better because we haven't been through what they've been through." She looked to her Magister, expecting her to back them up, instead finding her saddened eyes staring at the back of Athrodar. "Thal?"

She snapped out of her entranced state, looking at Sera before adding her own input on the situation. "They were once like us, you'd do well to remember that. They fought and died for Quel'Thalas, only to be raised by those that had slain them." She looked back at Athrodar. "Some staying under their control for a longer period than others."

Bael'tharon looked at her with curiosity, her longing looks towards the man leading them not going unnoticed. "Magister, if I may. What's your relationship with him?"

She smiled as the question was asked, putting Bael'tharon's mind at ease as he thought he had asked out of turn. "Complicated is the word I'd use. Though, he seems adamant there's nothing there any more." She looked at the priest, noticing a hint of confusion in his face, warranting further explanation. "He's the father of my child, my heart for so long in this world." A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered the short time they had together. "All taken away by the man he had saved us from during the sacking of Quel'Thalas."

Sera placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's still in there, somewhere." She told her reassuringly. "You just have to fight to find him."

"Sera, Thalina." Athrodar called over to them, sitting on a sturdy looking branch in a tree. As they stood under him, he looked at Sera directly. "How good are you at holding a portal open, if only briefly."

She looked at Thalina then back at him. "It's not my speciality by any means, but I can hold one open with some help for a minute or two."

He nodded at the information before quickly looking back out into the grain fields. "There's an encampment up ahead, beyond that should be Clea's group, I need you to open a portal to their location so someone may go through, have her report them and return within that minute." He looked back at the two mages. "Think you can do that?"

"Can't see why not." Thalina threw an arm around Sera's shoulder, pulling her close. "She's with a Magister after all, shouldn't be too difficult of a task."

He was watching the Scourge unit that gathered under the necropolis, noticing a teleportation pad he hadn't seen before. "Good, because I think I've got an idea." He looked down at Lyana who was leaning against the same tree, inspecting her fingernails. "Lyana will be going over to Clea."

She looked up from her hand after hearing her name being called. "Wait, what?"

"Go to Clea, tell her that we're going to assault the Scourge encampment and hold it until backup arrives." He looked at the three Sin'dorei stood below him. "One of you will need to go back to Venomspite, via portal, and inform Lady Sylvanas on what we're doing."

They all looked at each other, confused on what the actual plan was. Thalina decided to speak up for them. "And what exactly are we doing?"

He grinned at them before looking back into the open fields. "We're going to lay siege to their entranceway on the ground." He pointed towards where a big cluster of them were. "They have a teleportation pad located in the middle there, we will seize it and hold it from any advancing Scourge until the main force arrives." He looked back at them before adding. "Hopefully, they're quick about their arrival, the nine of us can't hold back what they have up there."

"I'll go." Lyana spoke up, but was met with a glare from Athrodar. "Or not."

"Sera will go. I guess it will be a chance to prove herself." Athrodar glanced down at the three Sin'dorei again before hopping down from the tree. "Well, we better get that portal open to Clea. Lyana, you know what to do?"

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I go over and tell her we're going on a suicide mission. I get it."

He smiled at her attitude, making him feel like he was a part of the Farstriders again, albeit momentarily, before looking at the two mages who were awaiting a command. "You know what to do? Where to open it?"

Thalina nodded. "Over the other side. Don't worry, it will be held open long enough for Lyana to return to us."

Though brief, the trip there and back felt like an eternity as they were on the brink of starting their siege ahead of time. Once he got confirmation on Clea's decision to go through with it, he sent Sera through a portal back to Venomspite. He turned to address the two remaining Sin'dorei and Lyana. "You all know what to do?"

They all said their confirmations, Lyana being more vocal in her unwillingness for the mission than the other two. "What do we do about the Frost Wyrm? Surely it's a bigger threat than the group on the ground."

He looked up to the skeletal dragon that was gliding aimlessly around in circles just under than necropolis. "Leave it to me... I think I have an idea or two.."

Without waiting much longer, they began to get into position, spreading out to attack the Scourge from all possible angles. Once ready, Athrodar blew the horn he had with him, causing the members of the Scourge to look around, attempting to pinpoint where it had come from, getting hit by arrows and spells in the meantime.

The first layer were cut down in their tracks, but the second were more formidable in terms of defence, setting up a semi shield wall to block off the arrows coming their way. Knowing this, Athrodar blew on his horn again, this time in two quick succession. Out from the trees burst the five rangers, followed shortly by Thalina and her small group of Sin'dorei. As they engaged the Scourge in melee, a deafening roar came from above, crippling everyone on the ground, including the undead that were surrounded by the forsaken and blood elven attackers.

Athrodar looked up and saw the Frost Wyrm taking a deep inhale before telling everyone to scatter. The strafing run was deadly, to the Scourge at least, freezing a handful of them whilst the others had a quick enough reaction to move out of the way. As the Frost Wyrm flew up into the sky, no doubt readying itself for another attack, Athrodar ran onto the teleportation pad without a second thought. When he landed up in Naxxramas, he could see the entranceway to all four individual quarters, as well as the exit from the necropolis.

He stood on the edge, looking down towards the ground, realising he had one shot at this. He had to time it perfectly. As he saw the Frost Wyrm fly close by, that's when he fell forward, off the necropolis and down towards the skeletal beast, and the floor. Unsheathing his sword mid air, he gripped onto it as tightly as he could, waiting for the moment he would latch it onto one of the dragon's bones.

The air was rushing past his face, distorting his vision, but it wasn't enough for him to miss his target. As he dove ever closer towards the dragon, he held the sword above his head, gripping onto it with both hands and planting it firmly into the shoulder of the dragon, just above the wing, sending it careening sideways towards the ground. Such was the sheer force of the impact.

As the ground got closer and closer, Athrodar knew he had to act quickly or he would find himself underneath the falling wyrm. He began to climb up the side of the dragon, making his way towards the head before holding on to the plated metal that sat over its face.

He began to concentrate, digging into untapped power deep within, his eyes started to glow brighter and brighter as the air around him, albeit already cold, was dropping dramatically in temperature. He placed his one free hand on the neck of the dragon whilst the other held on to the metal plating that was bolted and chain onto the dragon's face. He closed his eyes and murmured a few words before a jolt of blue energy pulsated out from his hand, down the spine of the dragon and shattering the vertebrae in an instant.

The Frost Wyrm let out a painful cry before falling limp, the glow that animated the being had all but disappeared, leaving the skeletal remains of a dragon. One that was falling towards the ground at a much more rapid pace. Knowing he had to brace himself for a hard landing, Athrodar clung onto the the metal plating that still remained intact on the dragon's skull.

Whilst those on the ground had won their initial fight, a couple of them began to look out for the Frost Wyrm that had now collided with the ground, causing a mighty sounding crash as well as sending dirt and debris in several directions. Several members of the group went to Athrodar's aid, only to be called back by Clea. "They're coming back with more, we need to defend this area until backup arrives." She looked around at each of the faces, all nodding in agreement, even if some of them wanted to go to him with aid. "Good, then let's defend this until our last breaths." She looked at the other dark rangers with her before grinning. "You know, figuratively."

They held off the second and third waves of Scourge, with no casualties, though some of them suffered a nasty cut or two, taking an arrow here or there, but nothing too serious. Figuring the worst was behind them, or above them, Clea had sent Bael'tharon, Kalira and Lyana along with the two Sin'dorei that were with her group, their names being Zaedana and Quithas. They had gone towards where the Frost Wyrm had landed, figuring it would be the best place to start.

They arrived at the mass of bones several minutes after departing, noticing Athrodar was sitting up against the only recognisable bit of the dragon left, the plated skull. He pat the head of the fallen beast before looking back at the approaching group. "See, I told you they'd find me." He chuckled to himself before coughing up some black blood. He wiped it away with one hand whilst holding onto a wound that had occurred when a loose bone pierced him upon landing.

Bael'tharon ran over towards him. "You need to get this checked out." Although he knew he would be in pain from it, his holy light was the only alternative to necromantic magic's, and there weren't any necromancers nearby apart from Naxxramas and Venomspite.

He got to his feet, gritting his teeth as he felt the sharp pain in his side, something even an undead couldn't hide. "Get me to the teleportation pad first, then you can patch me up... Painfully."

Bael'tharon eyed him cautiously, but figured he wasn't going to win the argument. He ducked under one of his arms, helping him walk back towards the rest of the group whilst Lyana and Kalira kept a watchful eye of for any incoming enemies. Zaedana and Quithas made their way back to the group, informing them that they found him, saying nothing about his condition in the meantime.

When they arrived, Thalina was the first to run over to him, taking over from Bael'tharon who began to work on Athrodar's wound, much to his discomfort. She sat him down by the pad as Bael'tharon continued, holding onto his hand whilst the priest poured holy light onto him.

Clea looked around, noticing a couple of Scourge tents for their living necromancers that were no longer using them. She turned towards Zaedana and Quithas, instructing them to gather the tents and set them up as they're going to need to make camp for the living members amongst them.

Zaedana hesitated at first, looking back at Clea. "But.. They're Scourge tents."

Clea raised an eyebrow at the obvious observation. "I don't think they'll be needing them anytime soon." She snapped her fingers and pointed towards the tents. "Go!"

Upon returning with the tents, they set them up, with the aid of Thalina, Lyana and Bael'tharon. Clea, Kalira and Loralen keeping a watchful eye out for more Scourge, or hopefully, reinforcements. Once they were set up Bael'tharon forcefully dragged Athrodar inside one of them, closing the tent afterwards before resuming the painful process of healing him with holy light.

Clea stood by a distressed looking Thalina, not liking the idea of her former lover being in pain, let alone suffering more for the sake of being 'healed'. Clea put a hand on her shoulder, which seemed to snap her out of whatever state of mind she was in. "Are you ready?"

She tilted her head in confusion. "For?"

"Hopefully, tomorrow." She saw confusion still sitting on her face. "The attack on Naxxramas.. You know.. Up there." She pointed upwards, as if Thalina would only understand if she had visual aids.

"Oh, yeah.. sorry." She shook her head before answering. "Yes, I believe I'm ready."

"Good." She looked up at Naxxramas. "It's going to be a long siege."


	9. Chapter 9

**Step Two: Strike hard and fast.**

Sera had landed in the middle of Venomspite as soon as she went through the portal. She looked around to find the building she knew to have Sylvanas stationed in, quickly spotting and running towards it, ignoring the curious stares she got whilst doing so. Forgetting that creating two portals, stepping through one and running would sap the energy out of even the fittest soldier, she found herself out of breath before bursting into Sylvanas' quarters.

Turning around quickly, raising an eyebrow in surprise at the outburst, Sylvanas eyed the mage up and down before fearing the worst. "What happened? Speak!"

Gasping for as much air as possible, she spoke between breaths. "Athrodar... Attacked... Scourge... Reinforcements.." She hunched over, placing both her hands on her legs whilst taking in big gasps of air in order to catch her breath.

Lor'themar walked into the room with Liadrin, curious about the mage and her outburst. "What's going on?"

Sylvanas placed a hand on her forehead, rubbing it lightly whilst trying to understand what Sera had said. "I don't know, something about the scouting party being attacked by Scourge?"

Sera looked up to Sylvanas with a confused look, clearly not translating what she had said to her correctly. She held up a finger to them, telling them to wait whilst she caught her breath, which infuriated Sylvanas and amused Liadrin slightly. Lor'themar handed her a goblet of wine that was in his hand at the time. "Drink, catch your breath and tell us what happened."

Once she had taken a sip of wine and calmed down, she straightened her back and began to inform them of what happened. Athrodar's plan, their attack on the Scourge members and her task to get them to send their armies in now, ahead of schedule. Sylvanas looked at Lor'themar and Liadrin, both nodding in understanding of the situation, she looked back at Sera. "Go, get yourself ready." She looked up at nothing in particular, grinning wickedly. "We've got a Lich to kill."

* * *

Night had fallen in Northrend, Clea and her fellow rangers taking the night shift whilst the living members had gotten some sleep. Athrodar was told to stay in bed by the priest, much to his annoyance, considering who he sharing the bed with. She had planted herself next to him whilst he was out cold from the pain of all the 'healing' Bael'tharon did to him. He awoke from his dreamless sleep to find Thalina curled up in his side, one arm slung over him whilst her head was on his shoulder.

He looked at her in her peaceful state, thinking back to a time when they were together in a similar position, though what he felt in this moment surely wasn't the same as in the memory. He slowly began to get up, which caused Thalina to moan in defiance, holding him tighter for a instant before letting go again. He rolled his eyes and stood up off the bed, replacing his body with a pillow, to which she latched on to as if it was him.

He noticed he was without a cloak when a stiff breeze came into the tent and blew his hair into his face. He heard another moan from Thalina, noticing her curl up tighter into a ball as the wind blew. Picking up his cloak that was strewn on the floor next to the bed, he threw it around himself before attaching it to his shoulder pads, pulling his hood up just as a Forsaken war horn blew, followed by another belonging to the Sin'dorei.

Thalina shot up from the bed, noticing Athrodar still holding onto his side whilst walking out of the tent. As she peered through the small gap in the tent, her suspicions were correct, the reinforcements had arrived, and earlier than she thought they would.

Sylvanas, atop her skeletal horse, rode down towards the small camp before the rest of the army could catch up, stopping in front of Athrodar before looking around at their small makeshift camp. "I'm impressed. More so by the fact you've secured the entry way to the necropolis."

He gave her a slight nod in thanks. "It was nothing we couldn't handle, taking out a small contingent of ghouls, skeletal warriors, necromancers." He looked up at her, a smirk playing across his face. "A Frost Wyrm, you know.. The usual."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That was you?"

"The one and only." He gave her a short bow before walking a couple of steps back towards the tent, only to clutch his wound in pain, having not fully healed.

She swung her leg around, getting off her mount and rushed over to him, kneeling down and eyeing the wound. "How did this happen?"

He looked down to his wound, removing his hand from it and noticing it had reopened. "Apparently dragon bones can pierce skin, did you know that?" He shook his head whilst chuckling to himself. "I guess that's the price I pay for leaping off Naxxramas onto the back of one."

"You did what!?" She wasn't amused that her newest ranger had so willingly pulled a stunt that reckless just to fell a skeletal dragon.

He grimaced as he held his wound once more, speaking through gritted teeth. "Stupid, I know.. Trust me when I say... I won't be doing it again."

She stood up, looking at the tent behind him. "We best get you inside, get that looked at by someone who can actually help. Judging by those burns, I'd say you had a priest with you."

Knowing better than to argue, he walked into the tent, Sylvanas following quickly behind. "It's not like I had planned for anyone to get injured, I would have taken someone who could use necromancy to stitch up the less... alive.. ones of our group if we got injured."

Thalina, noticing Sylvanas and Athrodar walking into the tent, stood up from the bed embarrassed. "M-My Lady, sorry.. I'll see myself out." She bowed her head and quickly made for the exit.

"Magister." Sylvanas called for her, making her stop in her tracks. "Whilst you're here, go fetch a necromancer to heal this wound."

"Y-Yes, certainly." She span on her heel and quickly made her way towards the approaching armies, looking for a necromancer amongst the Forsaken troops.

Sylvanas looked back at Athrodar, who was now sitting on the bed, back up against the wall. "So, you still have a thing for the living?" She smirked at him.

Athrodar closed his eyes in frustration, knowing he was being toyed with. "No, as a matter of fact I don't."

She sat down on the bed next to him, waiting for the necromancer to arrive whilst also having fun teasing him. "She was your former lover, was she not? And a Magister at that as well..." She raised an eyebrow, her smirk slowly turning into a grin.

He opened his eyes, only to narrow them at her, not believing what he was hearing. "What is this? What are you doing?"

"What? I'm allowed to have fun, surely." She folded her arms. "I may be Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, Banshee Queen of the Forsaken." The sheer lack of modesty in the way she said her titles wasn't lost on him. "But I am allowed to have some sort of fun."

"You don't get your kicks from, I don't know, torturing people? It seems like it's down your street." His tone was sarcastic.

She straightened her back, looking down at him whilst doing so. "That's neither here nor there, the fact of the matter is, you dodged my question earlier."

He rubbed his eyes with one of his hands, relieving pressure that was building up there. "Yes she was my former lover, no I don't have a thing for the living." He glanced over to her, sensing another question coming his way. "No, I don't know how she ended up in my bed."

"Oh that's your excuse, huh? She just happened to show up here." She nodded, smiling mischievously. "Not bad Nightblade, not bad..."

He rolled his eyes, knowing he was getting nowhere with her. He stood up from the bed, only to wince in pain as the wound was getting increasingly worse as time passed. Sylvanas, now growing impatient, pulled him back onto the bed whilst she went out searching for Thalina and the necromancer she sent her to get, only to almost collide with them upon walking out the tent.

"Good, you're here." She walked back into the tent with them, the necromancer getting to work, growing new skin and muscle to repair and replace that which was lost by the reckless stunt. She crouched down in front of him, taking his hand in both of hers. "You'll be fit and ready soon enough, that's when we'll start the attack." Ignoring that Thalina was in the room as well as the necromancer, she gave him a reassuring smile, something she felt comfortable with doing around him as they had more things in common than she first realised.

* * *

"There are four quarters, as we all know, which means the best idea would be to break off in four groups, two groups of Forsaken, two Sin'dorei." Liadrin began to point at a crudely drawn map of Naxxramas. "Lor'themar will lead one group, Thalina and I will lead another." She looked up to get confirming nods before continuing. "My Lady, you will take another, leaving the last with Clea and Athrodar. Any objections?"

"Leave him with me, Clea can manage on her own." Sylvanas looked around at each one of them, seeing confused faces at her suggestion. "He's recently injured and seeing as I'm their queen, I will have a lot more healers with me than with Clea. Not that it's my doing, they just want to make sure their queen is well protected."

Liadrin sighed. "Fine, I guess that makes sense. You will get Athrodar, Clea will take the last group. Now, moving on to quarters, any suggestions?"

"Plague and Arachnid should go to the Forsaken, we take Military and Construct." Lor'themar's suggestion wasn't anything but wise, much to the annoyance of Sylvanas and Clea.

"Why those exactly, Theron? Scared of spiders?" Sylvanas' tone was mocking, which Lor'themar didn't rise to.

"I chose those because we don't fare well against the venom of the spiders and, no offence, but your people seem to be around the plague a lot more often than we are, I think it's only fair you tackle the wings we aren't capable of tackling without significant losses."

"His advice is sound." Came the voice of Athrodar, appearing from out of the tent with the necromancer trailing behind him, saluting his queen before setting off into the rest of the army. "It makes perfect sense that we should tackle the wings the living will sustain more casualties in. I would have advised the same if asked."

Lor'themar extended out his hand in Athrodar's direction. "See, even the new boy agrees. It's the best shot we have once we get to Kel'Thuzad, we will have the numbers on our side if we stick to this plan."

Athrodar looked up at the necropolis, eyeing the very thing that was soon to be destroyed. "What are we waiting for exactly?"

"Nothing now, we're all here." Sylvanas nodded at Clea who then signalled for everyone to get moving. She made her way to stand next to Athrodar, looking up at Naxxramas as well. "So it begins, the start of something that will change everyone's outlook on this war."

"Something tells me this will be the start of something bigger." He looked around to see the two armies splitting off into four groups. "We best get moving."

* * *

Ichor stained the very walls of Naxxramas, even more so by the sheer amount of ghouls, gargoyles, plague slimes and other horrors this necropolis has to offer, all being slaughtered by the ever approaching tide of Forsaken soldiers. "We need to hold this room!" Commanded Athrodar, "We will use it as a staging area for those too injured to carry on!"

Forsaken healers began to set up in the first room of the Plague Quarter, having been cleared out in a matter of minutes upon entering the necropolis. Sylvanas pushed down a flight of stairs with a group of forsaken warriors, backed up by archers and finally mages. "What are we up against first?"

"If he's still here, and if memory serves me right, I believe it's Noth, the Plaguebringer." Athrodar looked unnerved as he spoke the name. "He... It's said he's responsible for the creation of the process that extracts the souls from the living, only to place them within the cold cage of undeath..."

Koltira spoke up, having found himself amongst the ranks of Sylvanas' group. "He is also a formidable necromancer. He joined the Scourge during the Third war, giving him plenty of time to hone in his skills."

"So he's powerful.." Sylvanas muttered to herself, though those with keen hearing had heard her.

"As are they all. Though, we will show them the meaning of death, that I can be sure of." Though knowing who they were about to face, Athrodar's confidence had boosted moral slightly. "Let's go kill this son of a bitch."

They made their way down the steps, into a room with piles of bodies and skeletons shoved into all corners, Noth standing in the middle of said room having expected their arrival. "Arousing speech, _My Prince,_ though I fear your rabble won't be around long enough to hear the next one." He raised his hands, both glowing a sickly green and purple. "Rise, my soldiers! Rise and fight once more!"

Countless undead began to rise from all four corners of the room, charging towards the now surrounded group of Forsaken troops, Sylvanas, Athrodar and Koltira. "Shield wall!" Cried Sylvanas, letting loose arrows in quick succession along with Athrodar. "Archers, focus their mages whilst ours puts up a protective barrier!"

Noth began to cackle as he raised more and more dead to fill the ranks of his small army. "My power is endless, as well as my army! Your destruction will come to pass very quickly!" He launched a shadowy bolt of magic towards the nearest forsaken soldiers, sending them flying into a mass of undead on the other side of the room, tearing them apart once they landed.

Having watched more Forsaken troops end up with the same fate, Athrodar burst forward towards the necromancer, tackling him to the ground before unsheathing a dagger from behind his back and lunged it towards his eye. But before he could land the strike, the necromancer had teleported to the other side of the room, continuing with his raising of the dead.

"You are quick, but I'm afraid you're not quick enough, _your Majesty_!" He was mocking him with his former titles, aiming to throw Athrodar off balance and make him do something that would get him killed, and at the very least captured.

Athrodar looked up at him,giving him a cold smirk as if he knew something the necromancer didn't. "You know, it's more than just a title." He began to stroll over to the necromancer, eyes glowing more intensely with every step he took. His voice becoming deeper, sounding more like the Lich King himself than him. "You say your power is endless!" Five tendrils flew out from his hand, gripping around the necromancer's throat and pulling him towards Athrodar. "You have not known TRUE POWER!" He held him in the air with one hand, draining the life from his very being.

Noth laughed through the pain. "I will serve the master... in death..."

Athrodar looked at him with disgust before unsheathing one of his swords. "You won't serve him any more."

Noth eyed the sword, noticing the eerily familiar runes forged across the blade, he widened his eyes in fear, knowing he wouldn't get to serve the Lich King in death after all. "No, this.." Athrodar plunged the sword into his chest before he could finish, draining his soul before dropping him on the ground.

He stood over the lifeless form, watching it decompose quickly, such was the side effect of using necromancy. "May your downfall be an example to all those who stand in my way..." He muttered to himself. He looked up at the remaining undead, coming to the conclusion their work was finished in here, until the next Scourge Lieutenant.

Finishing off the remaining undead, the Forsaken warriors took up a defensive perimeter around the room, in case more Scourge were to arrive as reinforcements. Sylvanas sought after Koltira. "Take them to the next room, we'll be there as soon as possible." She looked at Athrodar who was still staring at the almost fully decomposed body of Noth. "I need to do something first."

Koltira saluted to his queen. "Right away! Everyone, move out! Percival, tell the healers they can move up to this room, send a handful of them to us, we're going to need them the further in we get!"

Koltira had launched an attack on the next room, the sound of clashing steel and various magic's echoing around the necropolis from all quarters. Sylvanas stood a few metres back from Athrodar, cautiously looking at him. "What was that? You sounded just like.." She narrowed her eyes, glaring at the back of his head. " _Him.._ "

"Another one of his many gifts." He eyed the runeblade in his hand, knowing all too well what power it held. Albeit similar to Frostmourne in terms of taking ones soul, it was not very effective at raising the dead. "Prince of death indeed... It's funny really."

She stood next to him, taking in the neutral expression on his face. "What is?"

"Here I am, striving to be nothing like the man that made me what I am, only to realise I'm becoming more and more like him as the days go by." He laughed at the irony.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not becoming l-"

"Aren't I? Look me in the eyes and tell me that. You yourself just said I sounded like him, I stole this ones soul." He lazily kicked the empty robes on the floor. "I slaughtered a Scarlet outpost, I hurt those I once cared so much for." He closed his eyes, knowing what he must do. "Once this is over, I'd like to release myself from your service. I'll do more harm than good around people."

"No."

He stopped looking at the liquefied remains of the necromancer, looking up at her instead. "I'm sorry?"

"No. I won't allow you to release yourself from my service." He looked away, visibly annoyed at her defiance to his request. She placed her hand on his chin, turning his head to face her. "You pledged yourself to me, you say it was to serve the Horde, but we both know it was because I am the closest thing to family you've got in death."

He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to read the meaning in her words. "What are you saying?"

"Fight by my side, through this war and the next. I'm not asking you to fight as my equal, like husband and wife, what I'm asking is for you to stay by my side and defend the Forsaken and your queen."

The sound of fighting becoming ever present in the next room caught Athrodar's attention. "We'll talk about this later." He sheathed the sword and unslung his bow, nocking an arrow into place. "Another necromancer is up next, though this one's name is Heigan." He looked back at Sylvanas who had her bow at the ready. "He's responsible for the plaguelands being like they are, in case you wanted an extra reason to have him killed."

She smirked back at him, not choosing to reply, only thinking about her earlier offer to him and knowing she wanted nothing more than to have him by her side, as a fellow ranger and a powerful weapon against her enemies.


	10. Chapter 10

**Step Three: Clear out the Quarters**

They entered a long corridor infested with plague bats, giant grubs and two legged monstrosities that's soul purpose is to explode on death, spreading the plague in all directions. The corridor itself looked eerily familiar to Athrodar, the giant mushrooms, the plagued soil and all sorts of plants that thrived in these conditions, all bringing him back to the day he was captured by the Scourge on the brink of death. "It's exactly like the Eastern Plaguelands."

Sylvanas looked around, coming to the same conclusion herself. As they began to run through the plagued corridor, they came across more and more Forsaken bodies, dying in groups of two and three at a time. "We need to catch up to them, or we won't have an army left to face whatever else is in here."

Athrodar looked towards the end of the corridor, noticing the opening to another room. "There! That's where they are." They both began sprinting towards the room, only to see they had already been engaged in combat with who Athrodar knew to be Heigan. He was also a necromancer, but unlike Noth, he specialised in the plague and the spreading of it. He constructed the plague cauldrons that transformed the Plaguelands from a lush, green, living environment to what they are today.

Although alone, he was deflecting most if not all the attacks coming to him, only to retaliate by causing a short burst of slime to rush through the cracks in the very floor they stood on. Though already dead, the Forsaken could still be affected by the plague simply by killing them instead of raising them from the dead. As more Forsaken troops fell to the onslaught of plagued slime and spells coming from Heigan, Athrodar's rage overcame him. "HEIGAN!"

Only just now noticing him, Heigan's lips curled up into a sinister smile. "My my, so it _is_ true, royalty really is worshipped by those lower than them. The Banshee Queen and the Prince of Death, under the same banner." He cackled as he dropped a suspended cauldron that was hanging in the middle of the room. The chains snapped as if commanded to do so, dropping the cauldron that was full to the brim with the plague. "You've sent your loyal subjects to their doom!"

As the plague cauldron hit the ground, it cracked on several sides, spewing the liquid plague in all directions as the Forsaken army and Koltira backed away from it quickly, trying to get away from the ever approaching liquid.

Remembering there was one crucial floor to the plague, Athrodar looked towards the cowering Forsaken. "Mages! Burn the plague!" Coming to their senses once commanded, the mages among them began throwing balls of fire at the nearing plague. One successful hit was all it took to send the plagued liquid into an fiery mess, igniting the rest of the stuff instantly. The look on Heigan's face as his creation burnt before his very eyes was of awe. His would always pride himself on being the reason the Plaguelands were like they were, only to see his work burn in front of him.

So taken back by this turn of events, he didn't notice the Forsaken army approaching him, their swords drawn, arrows nocked and spells dancing along their skeletal hands. As one, they all attacked the frozen form of Heigan, sending a magnitude of spells his way followed by so many arrows, it gave off the impression he was a human porcupine. What was left of him to attack was left to the Forsaken warriors who plunged their sword deep into his lifeless body, though they still took satisfaction in killing the man responsible for decimating a massive part of Lordaeron's wildlife, their home.

* * *

"Bring it down! We still have three more of them left, hurry!" Liadrin's eyes burnt bright with the light, akin to the paladins of the second war. She irradiated light from her very person, burning any Scourge that got too close to her. "Thal, slow the last three down! We can't risk taking them all at once!"

"Sera!" She looked at Thalina who was pointing at three stitched colossus' coming their way. "Help slow them down! Cast the biggest frost spell you can and pray it's enough!"

Sera planted her legs outwards, creating a sturdy footing before channelling all her energy into this spell. She had crouched low, arms low to the floor with her fingers spread apart. Mumbling old Thalassian words as she began to rise up from her crouched stance, frost visibly swirling around her more and more the higher up she got. Upon reaching the end of her incantation, she screamed the final words. "... Fal'dala na!" In an instant, the frost magic that had encased her, shot towards the three colossus', freezing their entire lower half in place.

Struggling to move forward, all three colossus' fell to the ground, each one landing on top of the next. "Now!" Liadrin swung her sword, pointing it towards the three collapsed monstrosities. "For the light! For Quel'Thalas!" Her battle cry rung out through the halls, spurring a renewed hope for the Sin'dorei that had accompanied them. As one, they charged towards the three stitched colossus', who were trying to get back up on their feet.

Like a magical dance, the Sin'dorei troops had evaded the swinging arms of each colossus, slicing the many layers of flesh and fat when passing by. The Magi and rangers among them were firing their missiles into the skulls of each colossus, slowing their actions down greatly with each volley until they lay there, dead.

Thalina sat down against one of the walls, unhooking a water pouch and taking a big gulp, catching her breath in the meantime. "Well, that was a lot easier than I thought." She looked up at Liadrin who had begun to do the same.

Just as she sat down next to her, something had come lumbering out from the room above. "I have a feeling you may have spoken too soon." She stood up, signalling her troops to form a spear wall in front of her. "What is that thing?"

On closer inspection, she had noticed it was some form of abomination, except the only feature on its face was that of razor sharp teeth. Accompanying said set of teeth was a pipe that went through its stomach and into its mouth. One of its hands was replaced with what she could only describe as a metallic mallet looking hammer. The other hand had a giant needle, with its contents being that of the plagued slime.

Thalina took one look at the arm and knew it was going to be as deadly as it looked. "Everyone, stay away from that needle!" She threw a ball of fire towards the fleshy giant, only for it to be soaked up as if it was water to a sponge. "Impossible.."

"I take it this is Grobbulus." Liadrin's grip on her sword tightened, holy fire burning in her eyes. She turned to the priests in their group. "Focus your magic on him! We will tend to the wounded once he's fallen! Mages, use fire spells on him! He won't be able to soak up everything. Everyone else, try to shatter that needle!" She charged towards it, everyone else following shortly after.

* * *

"Your old lives, your mortal desires, mean nothing. You are acolytes of the master now, and you will serve the cause without question! The greatest glory is to die in the master's service!"

Clea poked her head around the corner, spotting a human woman standing over what looks like her followers. "This must be that spider breeder, Grand Widow Faerlina." She looked back at Lyana, Kalira and Loralen, giving them a quick nod before drawing her bow, nocking an arrow and firing it at one of the acolytes kneeling down in front of them, the three rangers doing the same.

Faerlina looked at the fallen bodies of her acolytes before looking over at the four rangers and the charging Forsaken troops in the entranceway. "Slay them in the master's name!" In an instant, the acolytes stood up, drawing massive two handed maces and daggers, the latter casting a shadowy spell in their free hand before throwing it towards the advancing Forsaken.

Clea was advancing towards the Grand Widow, only to be stopped in her tracks by two of her followers. She unsheathed her sword, still holding on to her bow with the other hand, swinging it around as if it was an extra sword, sending one of the followers tumbling towards the ground. "Two against one? I'm going to enjoy this." She gave them a menacing grin, her eyes glowing a brighter red as she eyed the both of them.

Her movements were gracious as she dodged and parried blow after blow, lowering her body so she was on one knee, spinning herself around and kicking the legs from under one of them before parrying another blow from the other follower, shortly following it up with a sucker punch to the face all whilst holding her bow in the other hand. Stumbling backwards, he left himself open to her lunge, planting her sword deep within his abdomen before spinning around once more, nocking an arrow and firing it into the chest of the other.

Two Forsaken troopers charged towards the Grand Widow, only for her to parry their attacks, followed up shortly with a shadowy explosion on their chests as she sent two balls of magic their way. "Pathetic wretch." She looked up to see Clea bounding towards her, followed by her three rangers. "This is going to be fun."

The four rangers split up, three of them disappearing into the shadows whilst Clea fought one-on-one with Faerlina. "I'll make your death quick, so you can get your so called 'glory'."

Knowing the other three rangers were making their way towards her in the shadows, she slammed her hand into the floor, causing a shock wave of shadow magic to blast around her. "You cannot hide from me!" This caused not only Clea, but the other three dark rangers and her own acolytes to get knocked backwards. She made her way towards Clea, who was trying to get up from the floor, placing a hand on her neck. "Kneel before me, worm."

Clea's eyes quickly looked over to her right, causing Faerlina to look that way as well, dropping her grip on Clea before charging over towards the three rangers who had their bows aimed at her, only to be impaled by three arrows simultaneously quickly followed up by Clea sword.

Faerlina dropped to her knees "The master... will avenge me!"

Clea removed the sword from her back, only to line it across her throat. Placing her mouth next to her ear, she whispered. "Then tell him, the races of Azeroth are coming for him." She slid the sword across her throat, cutting deep and clean. The remaining acolytes and followers of the Grand Widow were dealt with quickly after, giving up on the fight once leaderless.

Lyana made her way next to Clea who was looking at the body of Faerlina. "Why do I feel like we still have to face a massive spider or something?"

Clea smirked. "You know, I think you're right."

* * *

Lor'themar and his group entered an empty room with a balcony overlooking it all, yet nobody was here. Continuing their trek through it, they passed under a gateway, only for it to close behind, their only escape being sealed off as well. That's when a necromancer appeared on the other side of the gate. "Foolishly you have sought your own demise. Brazenly you have disregarded powers beyond your understanding. You have fought hard to invade the realm of the harvester. Now there is only one way out – to walk the lonely path of the damned."

Suddenly, death knight trainees began to appear in the same room as the necromancer, along with skeletal archers that were nocking arrows in place. Lor'themar looked around at the group of Sin'dorei he had with him, knowing he had led them into a trap. "It's been a pleasure fighting along side each and everyone of you. Know that on this day, we won't go down as easily as they would have you believe. We are Sin'dorei, Children of the blood! We won't go down without a fight!"

"And you won't be going down alone brother!" Came a voice from the balcony.

Lor'themar looked up towards it. "Halduron! How?"

"You didn't think I'd give you all the glory this day, did you? I'd never hear the end of it." He fired an arrow into one of the trainee's. "Rangers, attack!" Almost as if from out of nowhere, a group of Farstriders appeared from the balcony, firing volley after volley at the ever appearing Scourge. It was to be an easy victory.

Or was it?

As soon as one of the death knight's fell, their spirit was transported along a pipeline, only to reappear in the same room as the group of Sin'dorei, led by Lor'themar, in a ghostly form. The quick succession of kills on the living side however was making life on the undead side a lot harder than they had first thought. The ghostly apparitions were corporeal for a short period of time before becoming incorporeal, giving them a short window to slay their ghostly forms.

The priests and paladins amongst them however could deal with their incorporeal forms with a touch of the light, evening out the odds once more as more of them began to turn incorporeal. The necromancer known as Gothik, the Harvester, was taken back at how quickly they were dispatching any reinforcements that were coming their way. "I have waited long enough! Now, you face the harvester of souls!" He outstretched his arms, summoning more and more members of the Scourge from thin air.

They were quickly closing in around Lor'themar's group, Sin'dorei guards falling to their ranks quicker than they could kill them. Gothik had teleported into their room however, giving Lor'themar the opportune chance to slay him. He ran at him at full force, knocking the necromancer off his feet, sending both of them tumbling towards the gate that separated the two rooms.

They both got to their feet, before Lor'themar could draw his sword, Gothik swung a fist at him, only for to then dodge it as he swung his sword up, cutting off his hand. "Gah! You Elven bastard! You will pay for that!" He swung at him with his other fist, only to have it result in the same way. Now without both hands, he was unable to cast, resulting in the remaining Scourge members to get cut down until he was the last one.

Lor'themar placed one hand on the necromancers shoulder. "It's over, Harvester." He plunged his sword deep into him until the hilt touched flesh, the tip of the sword sticking out the other side of the gate.

"I... am... undone!" Gothik hacked up some blood before falling limp on his sword, body already decomposing.

Halduron made his way over to Lor'themar, clapping his hand on his shoulder. "It's good to see you are still alive brother."

Lor'themar done the same. "Only because you saved us from certain death." Smiling at him before taking him into a brotherly embrace.

All Halduron could do was laugh. "... Again."

* * *

"He keeps healing! We can't seem to do any damage that will inflict permanent scars!" Cried Koltira, swinging his sword at the plagued bog beast over and over again, dodging any attacks coming his way.

"Fire doesn't seem to be killing him quick enough either!" Sylvanas went to draw another arrow from her quiver, only to realise that she was out. "We need to think of something and fast! We're running out of options." She drew her swords and entered the fray.

Athrodar nocked his final arrow, knowing he had to make it count he began to enchant it with a frost spell. Two blue streaks danced around the shaft of the arrow, finding the head and enchanting it with an icy touch. He let loose the arrow, hitting the plagued bog beast in the hand, freezing it over. On closer inspection however, he noticed it wasn't healing as fast as it did when fire came into contact with it.

"That's it.." he mumbled to himself. "Everyone, freeze this thing! It won't heal quick enough if we concentrate frost spells at him." As one, the mages amongst them started casting frost spells ranging from giant blizzards to a small frost ball conjured by mages leaning closer to fire and arcane. Koltira and Athrodar aided them by using their Death Knight abilities, freezing the limbs of the bog beast in order to keep him still long enough for the mages to get a direct hit.

Wave after wave of frost spells hit the plagued bog beast, slowing it down so much that it began to freeze over. With one final push of energy, Athrodar stuck his sword in deep, freezing the beast from the inside before yanking it out, leaving a crystallised form of the bog beast they had just fought against.

He tapped the hilt of his sword against the frozen beast, hearing the distinct dinging sound of glass. "Well, this is the last of them." He looked around, noticing they had less than half the numbers they started with. "Though, it looks like it came at a heavy price."

"Then let's not their deaths be in vain." Koltira placed a hand on Athrodar's shoulder. "We still have to make sure everyone else has done their part."

"Then we best go to the rendezvous point and meet up with the other groups." Athrodar took one last look at the crystallised bog beast before setting off back to the entrance of the necropolis. Not failing to notice the defensive rune in the middle of the room, he ordered a couple of mages to destroy it on their way out.

When they eventually made it back to the entrance of Naxxramas, they met up with Clea's group shortly after arriving. "My Lady, it's good to see you're still with us."

"Same can be said for you, General." She looked at the other returning Forsaken group, noticing they were a little light on members. "How many did you lose?"

"Next to none. That was, until we got to the biggest spider I've ever seen, and will probably ever see again." Clea visibly shuddered. "That thing was huge! Each leg must have been the size of an abomination..." She started making visual aids to push her point across.

Sylvanas tried to get her attention. "Clea."

"..And to think there were eight of them! Those were the first set obstacles, let me tell you!" She shook her head. "Next were the fangs, thick, sturdy, menacing looking things..."

Sylvanas' patience was starting to wear thin. "Clea..."

"I saw the big bastard pick up at least three of our guys in one go. The sound of their bones snapping in her jaw will be something I won't forget for a long time..."

"Clea!" Sylvanas snapped at her, something she rarely done. This got her attention however. "How many did you lose?" She repeated.

"Right, sorry... I got carried away." She looked at the group she was leading. "I'd say about two thirds. Most of which were to that giant spider." She looked back at her queen. "You should have seen the size of her stinger." Sylvanas rolled her eyes exasperated with her Dark Ranger-General, moving away from her. Athrodar was leaning against a wall, watching the whole thing transpire in front of him, to which Clea extended her arms out, demonstrating the size of the stinger. "This big!" She mouthed to him, which made him chuckle.

As they began to get settled in, the wounded being stitched up from various healers, others setting up a defensive perimeter around the entranceway's to each quarter, Sylvanas pulled Athrodar away from the group, going back into the plague quarter for a private word or two. Once she knew they were alone, she began her much awaited talk with him. "What's your answer?

Not knowing what she was on about, having spent most of his time fighting countless Scourge minions whilst taking a few knocks to the head. "My Lady?"

"Fight by my side Athrodar. Fight by it as we conquer the rest of Northrend, fight by it as we kill Arthas, fight by it in future wars to come." She stood closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. "Fight by my side." She whispered.

He looked down at her hand on his arm briefly before shaking it off, walking a few paces away from her, rubbing this bridge of his nose. "Tell me, what do I get out of this?"

Taken aback by his question, she tried to find a response. "I.. You ge-"

He cut her off, knowing it would infuriate her deep inside yet knowing he had to get his point across. "Because as far as I can tell, you're the one who benefits from this, not me." He began to pace the room.

She moved in front of him, trying to stop him from pacing. "You get a place to call home, Undercity will always be open to you."

He laughed, shaking his head in the meantime. "Just like how Capital City was open to Arthas? Just before their beloved prince killed them all." He stopped pacing, looking at her with an emotionless stare. "You'll be letting another Prince into Lordaeron, one that is capable of slaughtering the populace."

She frowned at him. "You're not capable of falling that far, you won't turn into Arthas."

"Won't I!?" He snapped at her. "Would you like me to run through it again?"

She glared at him now, both for yelling at her and for repeating a subject she had already discussed with him. "No, you don't need to run through it again."

"No, no. Let me remind you of what I have done that's _very_ similar to what he has done. He was the Prince of Lordaeron, I was the Prince of the Scourge. He slaughtered his people, I have slaughtered mine." He points towards a couple of ghouls that were slain hours ago. "He turned his back on those he loved, hurting them in the meantime. I have done the exact same with that Magister and countless others."

"You don't need to ca-"

"He commanded people to slaughter the Scarlet Crusade, I commanded people to slaughter the Scarlet Onslaught. He has stolen the souls of thousands of dead, I may not have that many under my belt, but I have a sword that's capable of doing just that."

Sylvanas was becoming visibly pained at hearing the similarities, the comparisons bringing out painful memories of her past. "Athrodar stop..."

"I slaughtered countless innocents, wiping out entire civilisations whilst sending more on the brink of extinction." He looked at Sylvanas, knowing what he was about to say but couldn't stop himself. "He slaughtered the citizens of Lordaeron and almost sent our Elven Kingdom into exti-"

Sylvanas slapped him across the face, knowing exactly what he was about to say, a tear creeping down her face whilst doing so. Athrodar recoiled back at the hit, only to glare back at her in anger. She went to slap him again, only for him to catch her arm mid-swing, much to her shock. He eyed her up and down, noticing her weakened state, having been reminded of her failure to protect Quel'Thalas, only to be brought back as a banshee. "I... W-will not have you turn into him..." Her voice quivered as the memories of her past were racing through her mind

Noticing this, Athrodar let go of her arm and watched her closely, shocked at what he was seeing. "Sylvanas?"

She hugged herself, trying to hide the shaking that was the result of her cries. Memories of her past coming back to haunt her. "Get out..."

"My lady, I didn't -"

"GET OUT!" She unhooked a couple of knives on her belt, launching them in his direction.

He moved one of his arms up to block the incoming projectiles. As they pierced his leather armour and arm, he was under attack from another set of knives. Knowing he had to calm her down, he done something she done to him not too long ago. He removed the knives sticking out of his arm, going over to her and taking her in his arms, one behind her back and the other behind her head, pulling her in close. Realising what he was doing, she began to fight it, throwing punches at his abdomen, chest, arms, anything she could land a blow to, she did.

Despite her being reluctant to his rather bold action, she eventually let it happen, breaking down into a long awaited cry, falling down to her knees whilst bringing him down with her. She held on to him as if her life depended on it, trying to seek some comfort in all of this. He held on to her whilst she let it all out, although he wanted to be anywhere else than here at this moment, he had caused this outburst, it's only right that he tried to calm her down.

His mind was somewhere else though. He was thinking about the offer she proposed and what benefits he would get out of such a thing. He would be given a place in this world, but at what cost? He knew he was becoming more and more like Arthas with every passing day, could he risk history repeating itself?


	11. Chapter 11

**Step Four: Felling the Flesh Titan**

The last stitched colossi came tumbling down, Liadrin's hammer of light dealing the fatal blow to the beast, and her energy. She fell to one knee, holding the rest of herself up with her sword, gasping for air after such a tiring skirmish. "It's bad enough... We had to just kill a massive... dog... but three more of these as well? Light have mercy... If we make it out of here."

Thalina collapsed to the floor beside her, looking up at the many skulls lining the ceiling of this damned place. Her chest was moving up and down rapidly as she too tried to gain her breath. "It's not that... I don't believe in such things... but I think the light... had forsaken this place... as soon as it... was made."

Liadrin glanced over to her exhausted companion, only to laugh at her remark through gasps of air. "Even so, it hasn't forsaken me yet." She fell backwards, sitting down on the floor now as her knee began to cramp up from exhaustion. She looked around at the rest of her tired company, noticing how thin their numbers were. "I pray this was the last of them, we simply don't have the numbers to-"

A doorway began to open up in front of them, slowly exposing them to a massive human like colossus in the middle of the room. Thalina sat up on her elbows, looking into the room that was opening up in front of them, only to open her eyes wide as she saw the massive flesh titan standing still on a platform above what looked like more plagued slime. "You've got to be kidding me..." She muttered to herself.

An amalgamation of voices began to speak from the room. "You are too late... I... must... OBEY!" The flesh titan's words echoed throughout Naxxramas, alerting all those inside of his presence.

* * *

Athrodar's ear's twitched, his head looking towards the entrance to the room he and Sylvanas were still in. Sylvanas looked up at him, still holding on to him, then towards the entrance and the sound of the flesh titan. "What was that?" She looked back at him when he didn't answer, noticing he was still staring in the same direction, only he had a look of fear on his face she hadn't seen before. "Athrodar?"

"No... It can't be..." Realising what made that sound, a sudden wash of dread came over him. "Thaddius..." He stood up from where he was kneeling, letting go of Sylvanas who in turn let go of him, walking to the middle of Naxxramas where everyone else was located, Lor'themar coming in to view as he saw him leave the plague quarter.

"What on Azeroth was that?" He looked at Athrodar, waiting for a response. When he got nothing but silence from him, he turned to Clea who was standing nearby. "What's up with him?"

Before Clea could answer, Athrodar finally spoke up. "Are you a religious man, Regent Lord?"

He turned to look at Athrodar again, confusion on his face. "I'm sorry?"

"Do you believe in the Light, Elune, Loa, Old Gods?"

He put up his hand to stop him. "I get it." He stroked his chin, having to think of an answer for a couple of seconds. "I guess I believe in the Light? Why?"

"Then you'd better start praying." He looked at Lor'themar his face not hiding the fact he was terrified. "That sound, Regent Lord, is the flesh titan Thaddius."

Lor'themar didn't fail to notice the look on his face, sensing the seriousness in his tone, he didn't think to take what he said lightly. "What do you know of it?"

Sylvanas, Clea and Halduron stood by Lor'themar whilst Athrodar began to inform them of this new threat. "It's..." He closed his eyes, knowing what he was about to say was the stuff of nightmares. "It's a flesh titan, as I've said... But unlike the abominations we've seen, this.. _thing_... is massive. It's been built from the flesh of women and children... their souls are fused together – eternally bound within this monstrosity... I..." He closed his eyes tighter, a tear falling down his face before he rubbed them with one hand, trying to stop more tears from falling.

Lor'themar and Halduron winced at the story so far, aghast by what they've heard. Clea looked away, uncomfortable with the whole thing whilst Sylvanas was the only one who wanted him to carry on, knowing there was more to this. "What's your part in this?" She didn't flinch at all when his head shot up to look at her, his eyes pleading with her not to make him carry on.

Knowing he had no other choice but to carry on, he tensed up before telling the rest of the story. "I oversaw the construction of him. I captured, tortured and killed the many hundreds of innocent women and children used to make him. He was only half done by the time I left Naxxramas, I... I didn't think they would complete it..." He looked at each of them, taking in their reactions to his confession. Lor'themar and Halduron were disgusted with him, looking away when his gaze met theirs. Clea, shocked at the revelation, began to pace around the centre of the necropolis, avoiding Athrodar and not giving him a single look.

On the outside, Sylvanas wasn't phased by the story, but internally she was sickened by it and herself. She allowed herself to get close to him, only to find out he was a lot worse than she knew, his atrocities were far outweighing the minor amount of good he had done. _You know what it's like to not have control whilst under Arthas' influence._ She listened to the voice in her head, knowing what it said was true. "I don't hold you accountable for any of it. You were under Arthas' control, most of us here know what that's like." She gestured to the Forsaken dotted around the entrance.

Halduron shook his head, meaning to speak but Lor'themar placed a hand on shoulder. "She's right, old friend." He looked towards Athrodar. "We may not know what it's like to not be in control of our actions, but I do understand that you weren't in control of yours." He looked towards the Construct Quarter. "We still have people fighting, and if they're up against what you say they're up against, they'll need our help sooner rather than later."

"Then we best get moving." Knowing he needed to get there quickly, Athrodar gathered Lyana, Kalira, Loralen and much to her discomfort, he asked Clea to join him. She looked back at her queen who in turn remained impassive. After restocking on arrows, knives and other much needed supplies, the five rangers set off ahead of the reinforcements, making their way towards Liadrin and Thalina to give them as much support as five people can give.

* * *

Thalina was sitting down by the entrance to the newly opened room, staring at the still form of Thaddius. As she peered over her shoulder, she saw Liadrin talking to the few remaining with them, noticing how small their group had become throughout this whole ordeal. The idea of not making it out of this alive was becoming ever more present in her mind, she didn't know how the other three groups were faring, but she had hoped Athrodar remained safe and was still alive, for the most part.

"We're not going to make it, are we?" Came the voice of Sera. She was leaning up against Thalina's arm, trying to find some sort of comfortable place to rest her eyes, though given the horrific setting they found themselves in, she knew it was worth a try.

Thalina sighed, knowing there was no easy way to put it. "No, I don't believe we are." Her eyes met Sera's, who was looking as tired as she'd ever seen her. She threw her arm around her, and pulled her in close before whispering to her. "But we will go down fighting nonetheless. We have dealt a major blow to the Scourge by wiping out some of their Lieutenants here today. If we do die, it won't be for nothing."

Sera yawned, which in turn made Thalina yawn. She closed her eyes, trying to find some sort of respite from the impending doom that awaits them in the next room. "Maybe one day we'll get songs sung about us too."

Thalina smiled, exhaling through her nose to signify some sort of laugh. "I'm sure we will." She tilted her head to rest it on top of Sera's, closing her eyes to get some sort of rest as well. "I'm sure we will..." She repeated.

Before they could be lulled off to sleep, they were interrupted by Liadrin. "Oh thank the Light... Wait... This can't be all of you?" Thalina opened her eyes to see what was going on, finding Athrodar along with four dark rangers talking to Liadrin.

"For the moment, it is. The rest of them are making their way here. As for us, we're what you have for the time being should anything happen." Athrodar looked over at Thaddius who was standing dormant at the opposite side of the room. "So, Thaddius hasn't moved?"

Liadrin looked over towards the flesh titan then back at Athrodar. "No, and I'm hoping it stays that way. We don't have the numbers to take that thing down."

Athrodar frowned at the dormant flesh titan, not understanding what is keeping him in place and preventing him for wreaking havoc on the remaining Sin'dorei. "This doesn't make sense. Why hasn't he-"

He was interrupted by the very thing they were talking about. "Prince Athrodar! You die now!" The eyes of the titan lit up as many electrical volts struck the being, bringing him to life. With one big leap, Thaddius flew across the room, landing at the entranceway to what Athrodar knew to be the Halls of Reanimation. This action alone sent the entire necropolis of Naxxramas shaking as if it was hit by an earthquake.

Noticing they were still sat by the door to the Halls of Reanimation, Athrodar yelled at them the two mages to fall back. "Thalina, Sera. Get out of there NOW!" Without needing to be told a second time, the two mages ran towards him, their lack of energy not slowing them down as adrenaline kicked in. "We need to concentrate everything on his head." He looked around at the remaining fighters, noticing a lack of ranged units. "Or to the best of our ability."

Flames already dancing along her fingers, Thalina conjured a ball of fire and threw it towards the face of Thaddius. "Then we'd have to make every hit count." As soon as the spell connected with Thaddius' head, dark arrows began to rain down on him along with a handful of frost and holy spells, yet Thaddius wasn't phased by any of it. He began to walk towards them, swinging a hand towards them in a sweeping motion, knocking back a couple of unaware Sin'dorei spellswords, sending them across the narrow corridor they found themselves in, shattering their bones as they hit a wall.

Watching more of her kin die caused something to snap inside Thalina. Her eyes were now ablaze with flames of vengeance that began to take over her whole body, quickly covering her in fire. Though it didn't harm her, it did allow her spells to become greatly enhanced, making what would normally be an average spell into something of pure destruction.

The five rangers backed away from her, the heat making them uncomfortable whilst partly blinding them with how bright the flames grew. Noticing this sudden urge of power coming from her, Athrodar found he had a whole new respect for the mage. Knowing what they had to do however, he made sure to use her power to their advantage. "Thal, cast the biggest spell you can, we will distract him long enough for you to deal the final blow." He risked placing a hand on her shoulder, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Make it count."

Clea and her three rangers began to climb the legs of the flesh titan whilst Athrodar tried to make his presence known by it. He unsheathed one of his swords, pointing it towards Thaddius from a distance. His eyes began to glow the familiar intense blue that was accustomed to his increase in power, ice began to dance around his sword as his power grew, forging runes into the weapon from the hilt to the tip.

Once the newly runeforged weapon began to glow a bright blue, he held the sword in one hand, pulling it to rest by his head as he took aim at Thaddius' back. Once he found his target, he took a run up before throwing the sword directly into the back of the flesh titan, landing just above Clea, who in turn used it to pull herself up and stand on it to secure her footing. She pulled out two arrows from her quiver, forcefully stabbing them into the back of Thaddius and using them to climb up him once she knew they weren't going to snap under the pressure of her weight.

Athrodar unsheathed his second sword, throwing it into place above Clea again, just below Thaddius' neck. Once the sword connected with flesh however, Thaddius began to move his hands behind his back, trying to swat the four dark rangers climbing up him. As his hand connected with his back, Clea jumped onto his arm deftly, quickly running up the length of it before pulling out her bow and releasing an arrow into his eye as he watched her climb to his shoulder.

"Now Thalina!" Cried Athrodar as he let loose another arrow into Thaddius' face. The flesh titan span around, trying to find the mage, but with one eye shot out by an arrow and the other only seeing Clea's sword lunging towards it, he began to walk around aimlessly, swinging his arms about to try and get the four dark rangers off him.

Thalina stopped casting, only to have a circle of runes placed around Thaddius. Everyone looked at her in confusion, not knowing why she was smirking until it happened. A massive meteor came crashing down from the roof, landing directly on top of Thaddius, knocking him off balance. Her smirk was quickly erased however when the flesh titan began stumbling towards her. Having spent her energy, she knew she wasn't going to be able to blink out of his fall radius. Instead, she just stood there, letting fate decide what happens to her, closing her eyes and embracing it.

Fate however, had other plans. As soon as she closed her eyes, she was knocked off her feet by a diving Athrodar, pushing her out of the way of the falling Thaddius. When she opened her eyes to see what happened, she saw him lying on top of her, pinning down one of her arms whilst he looked back at the fallen flesh titan. She moved her free arm up and placed her hand on his face, which made him snap back around to her. She smiled at him, whispering. "Thank you."

He looked her in the eyes, seeing nothing but adoration coming from them. "What for? Saving you again?" He moved his arm that was pinning down hers, placing on her free hand and moving it away from his face. "It's starting to becoming a habit, Magister."

She placed her other hand over his, making him look down at the gesture. "What is?" She asked, lowly.

"You getting into trouble, and me having to save you from death." He stood up, pulling her up with him before letting go of her hand. He looked back at Thaddius who was still lying on the floor, not moving after the meteor crashed down on him. "I think that little trick of yours worked."

She moved to stand next to him, suddenly feeling light headed. "Well, I didn't get the rank of Magister for nothing." She looked at him from the corner of her eye, only for her world to fall into darkness as the adrenaline coursing through her faded. She stumbled forward a couple of paces before falling backwards, Athrodar having to react quickly to stop her from falling on the floor, catching her midway and resting her on his lap as he fell to his knees.

Liadrin rushed over, placing a hand on Thalina's head. After a quick examination of her state, she nodded her head. "She's exhausted by the looks of it. She also has a fever growing, most likely from excessive mana usage. Luckily you caught her when you did, she may have sustained a head injury if you weren't there." She looked up at him, only to smirk at an idea that crossed her mind. "Even in death, you make the ladies swoon."

He looked at the paladin, only to shake his head at the claim. "You just said she was exhausted, so don't you start with that crap as well." He looked down at the mage laying on him, letting out sigh before smiling. "I wouldn't have minded this in life, you know."

Liadrin kept her hand on Thalina's head, healing her with holy magic to soothe the fever that was growing. She was still looking at him, not failing to notice his smile. "And in death?"

His smile was wiped away, only to be replaced with sadness. "I just need to make sure she makes it home safe, so she can look after her... Our daughter." He brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "She needs her mother more than me, especially the way I am now."

Liadrin looked at the both of them, more at what he was doing than at Thalina, she frowned at Athrodar, curiously looking at him whilst he looked down at the Magister. "You still love her, don't you?"

He chuckled lightly, closing his eyes as he spoke. "I believe a part of me still does." He opened them, looking at Liadrin this time. "It's the part that screams at me when I intentionally hurt her, or when I think about hurting her. Not physically, but emotionally." He looked down at Thalina again. "It's the only part of me that clings on to some semblance of life, whereas the rest of me wants to cause as much pain as possible."

Liadrin looked at him then at Thaddius, noticing his arms were moving slowly, as if to push him up to his feet. "Athrodar..."

He glanced up at Liadrin then towards Thaddius, his eyes growing wide as the flesh titan began to stand up slowly. "Impossible..."

Before any of them could act, a barrage of arrows and spells flew towards Thaddius, causing a substantial amount of damage to his head, leaving nothing but half a skull by the end of it. Thaddius fell to the floor once more, going limp after the assault. Both Liadrin and Athrodar looked towards where it was coming from, noticing the reinforcements arriving just on time. Liadrin let out a deep sigh of relief, turning her focus back on Thalina. "Thank the light." She muttered.

Clea and her three rangers rushed towards their queen, making sure she was alright before anyone else, despite her being surrounded Forsaken and Sin'dorei units. She looked over towards Athrodar and Liadrin, nodding at the former who in return nodded back, confirming they were both relatively safe and unharmed.

Athrodar turned back towards Liadrin who had finished healing Thalina to the best of her ability, considering her condition. "Will she be okay?"

"We won't know until she wakes up, but I think she will, yes." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Will you stay with her until she wakes up? I'll be nearby if anything were to happen."

He looked down at Thalina who was still sleeping on him, figuring he didn't have much of a choice. "Considering where she is, I don't think I have say in this matter." He smiled, chuckling lightly. "Sure, I'll stay until she wakes up." He picked her up and moved back against a wall, placing her down next to him and throwing an arm around her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible in her current state.

He leaned his head down on top of hers, whispering to her in Thalassian. "I'm sorry I've been so hard on you, but I will make sure you get through this alive, so you can return to our daughter." He planted a kiss on top of her head before moving back to a rested position, Thalina still under his arm.

He looked towards the lifeless body of Thaddius, know he was one step closer to Kel'Thuzad and the Lich King.


	12. Chapter 12

**Returning the Daughter**

Hours passed since Thaddius had fallen, everyone was gathered up near the entrance of Naxxramas, getting some much needed rest before they faced Kel'Thuzad. Liadrin and Athrodar moved Thalina into a different room from the others, allowing Liadrin to focus on her more so than anyone else. Athrodar stood nearby, leaning up against a wall, arms crossed whilst staring at the sleeping Magister. "Did you know we spent two months together before I died? Three if you count the month she was with me whilst I didn't remember her... fully"

She looked at him, still healing Thalina with her hands whilst doing so. "No, I didn't. She rarely spoke of you after you died, I think it was all too much for her." She looked back down at her, continuing her train of thought. "She kept that letter you wrote her close to her heart, literally." She smiled weakly at the sleeping form of Thalina. "She even placed a spell on it so it wouldn't deteriorate."

Athrodar glanced over to Liadrin, noticing a bead of sweat running down her face. "When was the last time you had a rest?"

She stopped healing her, looking up at him. "Not for a while, but she won't heal herself so that's why I'm here." She went back to healing her, placing both hands on her arm.

Athrodar got off the wall, walking towards Liadrin and pulling her away from Thalina, burning his hand as the holy light connected with his flesh, though he brushed it off. "You've done all you can, now get some rest, we still need you for the final fight." She didn't fight back, instead she sat down next to him, resting her eyes for a few minutes.

She awoke sometime later to find she was sitting there alone, Thalina still sleeping in front of her. She stood up and began walking over to her in a sleepy haze, almost tripping on a loose bit of stonework. Regaining her balance, she looked around to see if anybody saw, which is when she found Athrodar talking to Sylvanas and Lor'themar.

Halduron walked up to them, handing Lor'themar a report who then began to read it. "It appears our scouts have reported that all the wings are clear, no signs of reinforcements coming from them." He handed the report back to Halduron, patting him on the arm as he left. "When do we set off?"

Athrodar glanced over to Thalina. "Your Magister is still out, we can either wait for her to come to, or we leave her here with a couple of healers and personal guard. When she wakes and is fit enough to join us, she can."

Sylvanas nodded at the idea. "I think we should leave her here, the sooner we kill that Lich, the better. Killing him will give us the advantage we need."

Liadrin, overhearing this, was outraged at their decision. She stormed over towards the three of them, glaring at both Athrodar and Sylvanas. "You can't be serious!? Wait until she wakes up before you make such a decision!"

Athrodar returned Liadrin's glare with a straight face. "Every minute we are sat here waiting is another minute Kel'Thuzad has to prepare defences, or even an escape." He looked over at Thalina. "If we wait, it will be for another ten minutes, no longer. Even then that's not what I would recommend."

"I know I won't get any better offers." Liadrin sighed. "Fine. I'll do what I can within that time, but if she's not awake by then, I'm taking her back to Silvermoon." Liadrin looked around the necropolis. "This isn't the best environment to recover in."

"It doesn't smell that great either." Came the weak voice of Thalina.

Liadrin span around to face her, quickly running to her aid as she tried to sit up. "Slowly Thal, slowly. How do you feel?"

"I feel like a kodo is using me as a bed." She looked at the three elves standing by the doorway, Sylvanas and Lor'themar still talking between the three of them whilst Athrodar was looking at her, nodding to anything the other two had to say but not paying full attention to them. She looked back at Liadrin who was assessing her current status. "I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

Liadrin leaned over Thalina, examining everything on the other side of her. "Who?"

"Who do you think?"

She stopped examining her, looking over towards Athrodar who was in deep conversation with Lor'themar and Sylvanas again. "Oh. No, not at all." She gestured for Thalina to open her hands, to which she sighed and complied with her. "He watched over you the whole time." She began to heal her hands.

"He did?" She stopped watching what Liadrin was doing, glancing over towards Athrodar. "Against his will I presume?"

"At first yes. You may have been the reason for that though. You know, falling on him and such." She moved away from Thalina, standing up from where she was kneeling. "Up."

Thalina sighed. "I'm fine, honestly." She stood up in front of Liadrin, only to lose balance for a second, grabbing onto the paladin's arm. She looked down, noticing her robes weren't on her, instead she was wearing a bra and underwear. "Well, at least I remembered to wear something under my robes." Liadrin looked at her with a blank expression, which Thalina interpreted exactly what she feared had happened. "I didn't..."

"Oh yes, you went commando alright." She laughed at Thalina's shocked expression. "Don't worry, nobody saw anything." She glanced over at Athrodar. "I hope."

She looked over at Athrodar then back at Liadrin. "He's seen it all before." She leaned in closer to her companion. "Maybe it won him over. You know, seeing me exposed in such a way."

Liadrin picked up Thalina's robe, handing it to her whilst shaking her head. "Here, wear this before you draw unwanted attention to yourself from the more... living.. members of our faction."

Thalina threw her robe over her head, pulling her arms through the sleeves, only to sigh at Liadrin's comment. "There's only one person I want to look at me like that, and he's not among the living." She reached into a pocket in her robe, pulling out a silk ribbon and tying her hair into a ponytail. She took a deep breath, stretching out her arms and began to cast a small fire in her hands. "Right, let's get this over with."

Liadrin stared at her with a saddened expression on her face. "Thal, are you sure you -"

She smiled back at the paladin. "Don't worry Liadrin, I am fine." Liadrin however, wasn't buying it. She figured Thalina was trying to act strong so nobody would worry about her, which just enforced the complete opposite out of Liadrin as she was now going to watch her closely.

Athrodar looked over to see the two women making their way over towards him, raising an eyebrow when they stood in between him, Sylvanas and Lor'themar. "She's ready to go?" He asked Liadrin, who closed her eyes and put both hands up, not saying a word.

"I'm fine to go, I don't need her permission." She looked back at Liadrin who was watching her closely. "Most of the time."

Athrodar glanced at both Sylvanas and Lor'themar. "Leave us." They both took their leave shortly after, gathering up the troops to begin the assault on Kel'Thuzad. Noticing Liadrin was still there, he stared at her until she began to leave as well. As she made to walk past him, he grabbed her arm. "Nobody is to enter this room, got it?"

She glared up at him, not liking the idea of him giving her orders, let alone leaving him in a room with Thalina. "Fine. But if you harm her, I will show you a whole new meaning to the word pain." She pulled her arm away from him, walking out the room, though not going far. She opted for standing guard at the entrance, far away enough to not hear their conversation, but close enough to rush in the room if anything were to happen.

Athrodar chuckled to himself as Liadrin left the room. "She doesn't like me very much."

"She's just protecting me, that's all." Thalina stood behind Athrodar, leaning her head against his back. "Thank you, again."

"For what?"

Thalina snaked her hands around him, hugging him from behind. "Looking after me whilst I was out."

Athrodar turned around, taking her hands in his and locking eyes with her. "I needed to make sure you were safe." He looked her up and down, assessing her status for himself. "Are you sure you're capable of carrying on?"

She moved her hands up to his face, Athrodar not stopping her from doing so. "I'm fine, as long as I'm by your side." She smiled up at him, slowly moving her head closer to his, looking down at his lips then back up to his eyes.

Again, Athrodar didn't stop her. Instead he moved first, leaning down and planting his lips on hers, catching her off guard for a split second before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself closer. Her heart fluttered in her chest under his relentless assault on her lips, holding on to him tighter as to not let him go, wanting, _needing,_ him at this very moment _._

Athrodar began to pull a dagger out from behind him, holding it in one hand whilst starting to pull away from Thalina, which made her moan in defiance, pulling him closer once again. He chuckled at her, pulling away again, this time without her resisting. He looked her in the eyes, still holding the dagger behind his back. "I'm sorry."

She smiled sweetly up at him. "For what?"

He leaned his head down, resting his forehead on hers, whispering. "Everything." He moved his hand around, hitting her over the head with the hilt of his dagger, knocking her out cold. He caught her before she fell to the floor. "Liadrin!" He shouted, waiting for the paladin to rush in, placing his dagger back in its sheath.

As she ran in, she gasped at what she say, drawing her sword and pointing it at him. "What did you do!"

"I'm making sure she gets home alive. Get Sera, I need her to open a portal to Sunfury Spire." He knelt down, holding on to the limp body of Thalina. As he looked back up to Liadrin, he noticed she was still standing there, unsure of what to do. "Now Liadrin!"

Realising there wasn't much of a choice, she put away her sword, sighing whilst trying to find Sera. Upon her return with Sera, she made her way towards Thalina, inspecting her head for any signs of permanent damage. Once she was certain there wasn't any, she looked up at Athrodar, giving him a fiery glare. "She said she was fine!"

Athrodar scoffed. "You and I both know she wasn't." He looked over towards Sera, noticing the portal had materialised. "Her part in this war is over." He picked up Thalina, carrying her through the portal and into Sunfury Spire where he was met with Grand Magister Rommath.

"Ah, so the former son of Silvermoon returns." He looked down at Thalina in his arms. "And he carries the daughter of Grand Magister Dawnstrider, interesting."

"Grand Magister Rommath I presume? Where's Telramar?"

Rommath smirked. "Straight to the point I see. What business do you have with him?"

Athrodar placed Thalina down on a couch nearby, moving a few strands of hair that dared to fall over her face. "I would have thought it was obvious enough, Grand Magister." He walked back to the portal, standing just in front of it. "Tell Telramar his daughter has safely returned home." He looked over his shoulder at Rommath. "Tell him, she is not to set foot in Northrend again." Before Rommath could reply, Athrodar walked through the portal.

As soon as he landed back in Naxxramas, Liadrin grabbed him by the throat, pinning him against a wall. "What gives you the right to dictate whether or not she should be here!" Athrodar dared a look into her eyes, seeing only holy flames burning within them.

"What gave me the right? The idea of our child being an orphan before her life has even started comes to mind." He smirked at her. "Although, you would know a little something about that, wouldn't you?"

Her grip around his throat tightened as her fury grew. Sera watched on, standing behind Liadrin as she held Athrodar against the wall, hands flying to her mouth in shock at what he said. Liadrin unsheathed her sword, pointing it at his unbeating heart. "How DARE you! You know nothing of being an orphan, especially in our society!"

"I know enough." He grinned at her. "Which is why I brought her back to Silvermoon, and our daughter."

She narrowed her eyes at him, eventually letting go of his throat. "You're lucky she still loves you, even if you only give her a fraction of what she deserves."

Athrodar glanced over Liadrin's shoulder, looking Sera in the eyes, sneering at her. "Enjoy the show?"

She looked back at him with a saddened expression, shaking her head in the meantime. "You really are an arsehole..."

He bowed slightly. "Nice to know you finally realised what I am." He looked back at Liadrin with a smirk. "Milady." He bowed his head to her, looking to leave and get ready for the fight against Kel'Thuzad, to which she replied with a right hook around the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

She looked down at him with disgust. "I don't know what she sees in you."

Athrodar spat out some blood, holding on to his jaw, laughing at what just happened. "I probably deserved that." He got to his feet, opening and closing his mouth to test if his jaw is broken. "We should probably get ready for the final assault." He looked out the room they were in, checking to see if everyone was ready. Both remaining Sin'dorei and Forsaken troops had a look of confidence about them, knowing they had one final obstacle to overcome.

As he left to join them, something in his gut was telling him it was all too easy. Kel'Thuzad was the remaining threat in Naxxramas, yet he felt they were walking into a trap, but he didn't know what. As he reached the others, Sylvanas stood next to him, looking at the teleportation pad that would take them to Kel'Thuzad. "Are you ready?"

He glanced at her, taking note of her close proximity to him. "As ready as I'll ever be."


	13. Chapter 13

**Step Five: The Wyrm and The Lich**

As they landed in the upper levels of Naxxramas, the living members amongst them were met with a sharp icy breeze coming from the room ahead of them. The closer they got to that room, the more ice and frost became present to them. Their breaths becoming ever visible to them whilst their bodies began to shake from the sheer temperature drop. The Forsaken members weren't suffering however, Athrodar and Koltira both thrived in these conditions, especially as the former spent close to a year in Icecrown.

Entering the room, they were shortly met with a gathering of large bones spread about the room in no particular pattern. They began to work their way around the vast array of bones which is when Athrodar noticed something was off. He began to inspect one of the bones that looked eerily familiar to him, as soon as he touched it however, the bones began to move slowly in a clockwise motion.

Upon realising what's going on, Athrodar commanded everyone to stand back. "I don't know what this is, but I have a feeling it's here to stop us."

An evil cackle bounced along the walls of the room. "Did you think you would make it to me so _easily_? I'm afraid you were mistaken, my Prince." The bones began to spin faster and faster, some of them beginning to levitate off the ground. Athrodar noticed a head of a dragon fly past him, which in turn told him what was about to materialise in front of them.

Sylvanas stood by him, arrow nocked into her bow waiting for a target. She studied him briefly, knowing the look on his face to be one of concern. "What is it?"

"It's a dragon." He looked back at her, shaking his head in disbelief. "This wasn't here when I last visited. He must have been preparing this when my connection to the Lich King was severed."

The form of a dragon started to appear out of the bones. Much like the frost wyrm Athrodar killed before entering Naxxramas, this one too began to glow an intense blue inside the cage of bones that resembled its body. However, this one was at least twice the size of a normal frost wyrm and just as deadly.

Lor'themar unsheathed his sword, determination in his eyes as his gaze met Halduron's. "This is going to be a problem, and not a small one."

Halduron smirked. "Nobody said this was going to be easy." He looked over towards Athrodar, noticing a frown appearing on the Death Ranger's face. "What are you thinking Athrodar?"

Athrodar's eyes were darting around the floor below him, this hand rubbing at his chin as he tried to form some sort of strategy on dealing with this new foe. As the skeletal dragon fully formed in the middle of the room, it stretched out its wings, letting out a deafening roar that shook the very room. Sylvanas and her dark rangers began to let loose volley after volley of arrows, most of which were bouncing off the bones of the skeletal beast.

"Behold, Sapphiron! The mighty frost wyrm, guardian of Naxxramas and a little gift from me to you!" The voice of Kel'Thuzad echoed throughout Naxxramas, followed by an evil cackle. "He will make sure your deaths are swift! I wouldn't want you to suffer, _My Prince_."

Athrodar was still thinking up strategy when Sylvanas and Clea pulled him away from the the frost wyrm, his mind lost to the act so much so that he was exposed in the open. They pulled him to the furthest end of the room before Sylvanas shook him back to his senses. "Hey! We need you in this fight alive more than we need you dead." When he didn't respond, she slapped him across the face, forcing him back into reality. "Athrodar! Get it together and think of a way to down this thing whilst fighting it. We need your aide in this more than anything."

He pulled himself together, letting loose a couple of frost arrows into the beast, but to no avail. "We need fire to down this beast. Frost isn't harming him one bit." He looked around, finding a lack of mages with them, especially the one he knew would be the most useful in this time. He glanced at Sylvanas who was hiding behind a block of ice that formed when Sapphiron let out a breath of frost. "We need to make use of what we have. Order your mages to use fire on the body of the dragon."

She looked at him, noticing he kept looking at the dragon then at an open space in the room. "What will you be doing?"

He looked back at her quickly before nocking an arrow. "Someone needs to distract it." He smirked, running out in front of the dragon and letting loose an arrow into its face, the projectile bouncing off the hardened surface. He unsheathed one of his sword, slamming it into the ground and kneeling behind it, the blade facing vertically from him. Just as Sapphiron took in a deep breath, Athrodar began to murmur words of enchantment, the runes on his blade glowing as bright as his eyes.

Sapphiron took one step forward, opening its skeletal mouth and breathing one long breath of frost at Athrodar, covering him fully in the flame like appearance of the ice attack. Athrodar however, didn't move from it. He grinned wickedly as the frost attack was split in two around the sword, travelling behind him and hitting the wall, leaving a massive layer of ice to form there. Whilst this was happening, the mages amongst them that could use fire, began to assault either side of the frost wyrm, dealing enough damage to halt the breath of frost hitting Athrodar.

Sapphiron roared as more and more fire spells hit him, threatening to weaken him to the point of collapsing. The massive skeletal dragon swung its tail around as well as sweeping one of its frontal claws at Athrodar who was beginning to stand up, colliding with him and knocking him off his feet, sending him towards the other end of the room.

Knowing its end was near, Sapphiron turned towards Athrodar who was slowly finding his feet, breathing in one last breath in order to attack him, opening its skeletal jaw and sending the frost attack towards him. Just as Athrodar looked up at the frost wyrm, he was knocked off his feet once more by Sera. She pushed him out the way of the frost attack, taking his place instead. Before he could tell her to move, she smiled back at him for the last time, muttering her last words to him. "Fight for her safety."

Just as quickly as he was knocked out of the way of the attack, Sera was quickly frozen in place by it, her saddened smile forever frozen in that block of ice. Athrodar, looked at her frozen form in awe of her sacrifice, knowing that she had done this to save him. He walked over towards her, placing a hand on that block of ice that encased her. "Your sacrifice will not be in vain, Sera." A single tear rolled down his face. "I will make sure Thalina is safe."

His eyes ablaze with anger and vengeance, he looked over towards the frost wyrm Sapphiron, noticing it was still putting up a fight. He began to run at the unaware dragon, his emotions triggering the same ability he had no control over in the Ruins of Lordaeron and aboard the ship to and from Northrend. This time however, he found he could control the intensity of it and who he was aiming it towards.

As he got closer to the dragon, he unsheathed his second sword, enchanting it almost instantly with a bright blue glow. When he got close enough to the skeletal beast, he leapt at the neck of it, planting his sword deep into the bone with a bestial roar of power. When the sword sunk deep, the intense blue glow that was normally there in his eyes when he tapped into his inner power was gone. Instead, it was replicated tenfold. What would normally be a blue glow covering his eyes was now two bright blue flames that began to pour out at either side.

With one last thrust of his blade, the skeletal dragon roared for the last time, followed up by a massive cerulean blue explosion, sending the remains of the dragon flying in every direction along with Athrodar. Fog covered the whole room, quickly dissipating and leaving nothing in the centre of the room apart from the head of Sapphiron.

Everyone moved their arms away their faces once it became clear, Sylvanas looked for Athrodar, finding him sprawled out at the far end of the room along with a couple of bones that dared pierce him. She ran over towards him, throwing her bow to the side and sliding along her knees as she reached him, lifting his head on to her lap, looking for any wounds he may have sustained. "Come on Athrodar, stay with us." She placed a hand on his face, noticing he was colder than even the dead. "Come on, wake up. We can't lose you now."

He woke up seconds later, his eyes were still ablaze with the blue flames, though they had dwindled significantly compared to where they once were. His face however still showed anger, and he began to struggle against Sylvanas in order to get up. Clea ran to her, holding Athrodar down as well. Sylvanas placed both hands on his face, making him face her. "It's okay, we're here." She looked over to the middle of the room then back at him. "See? It's gone."

They got him to his knees so he could look over at the centre of the room. When he saw the skeletal head that remained there, the flames in his eyes died out as well as the burst of energy he had within him, falling forward slightly, catching himself with his hands before rolling over on to his back. He looked over at Clea then Sylvanas, laughing when he realised what had happened, causing both women to look at each other in confusion.

"Well," He began, looking up at the frozen ceiling. "That's another thing I won't be doing again." He shook his head the best he could. "Why does it always have to be dragons."

Sylvanas got to her feet, offering Athrodar a hand. "Can you stand?" He took her hand and pulled himself up. As he got to his feet, he stumbled forward slightly, causing Sylvanas to catch him before he fell. "I take that as a no."

He laughed at how weak he felt. "This is only temporary, I hope."

"You need to rest for a few minutes, then you'll be fine." She helped him sit down, opting to sit down in front of him. She glanced over to Sapphiron's head in the middle of the room before looking back at him. "So you managed to control it."

He fell backwards, laying on the floor and closing his eyes. "I suppose I have, yes. Not that I know how to fully control it." He opened his eyes, moving his head slightly to look at Sera, who was being thawed by fire mages in order to take her body home to be buried. "I suppose she triggered something that made me control it more than I had before."

Sylvanas followed his gaze, setting hers upon the frozen mage. "A noble sacrifice."

Athrodar let out a small chuckle. "A foolish sacrifice, but one made to save me. For that, I'm grateful."

Sylvanas looked around, deciding to address the elephant in the room. "I see your former lover isn't here to grace us with her presence." She looked at him directly. "What happened?"

Athrodar sat up, noticing Clea had slipped away to the other Dark Rangers, leaving him and Sylvanas alone. "She's back home, that's all that matters. She isn't going to return to Northrend either, I made sure of that."

"We could have used her in this fight, let alone the next one." She frowned at him. "What made you think she was no longer needed here?"

"We have a child, did you know that?"

"I had heard rumours of Grand Magister Dawnstrider becoming a grandfather, though it didn't concern me, so I chose not to listen to them." She raised an eyebrow at the Death Ranger. "I take it that's yours?"

Athrodar nodded. "Precisely." He looked away, staring at a nearby wall. "I... returned her... to Silvermoon to look after our child. Her part in this war is over."

Sylvanas thought on that point for a few seconds, trying to understand his point of view, but she could only see the smaller picture. She narrowed her eyes at him, scolding him slightly. "We still could have used her for Kel'Thuzad."

Athrodar snapped back at her. "She stays in Silvermoon."

Sylvanas remained calm, despite his anger towards her. She placed a hand on his shoulder, looking towards the entrance of Kel'Thuzad's lair. "It doesn't matter now, we still have one more Scourge Commander left."

Athrodar followed her gaze, noticing the an open doorway that they have not been through yet. He got to his feet, helping Sylvanas to hers as well. "Then we need to get moving... Argh!" Athrodar fell to one knee, holding on to the wound he got from Frostmourne, a blinding pain racing through him, making his whole world turn white for a few seconds. "He's... Here!"

Sylvanas furrowed her brow at him, not quite understanding what he meant, until she saw him holding a wound. When she realised what he meant, her eyes widened in alarm, then they turned to pure anger and determination. She knelt down under Athrodar's arm, lifting him up when she got to her feet again. "Come on, we can end this here."

His vision came back to him, followed by his balance and strength. He glanced down at Sylvanas who was holding him up. "He has come for me. He knows I am here."

Lor'themar, Halduron and Liadrin, along with Clea came rushing over after overhearing what he had said. Lor'themar eyed him up and down, inspecting the Death Ranger's situation. "You said Arthas was here? And that he is here for you?"

"That's what I believe, yes." He glanced at everyone around him. "I mean no offence, but he wouldn't show up here if I wasn't here. I believe he is only here because he plans to take me back under his control."

Liadrin stared at him, slowly nodding her head at what he was saying. "So what do we do? Do we have a plan?"

All six of them looked at each other, hoping one of them would have an idea of what to do. None of them could come up with a good plan amongst them, they weren't prepared to face both of them at once. Athrodar looked up at them, having come up with a plan he thought was viable enough for them. "Let him take me."

The rest of them looked at each other, understanding what he was saying, but not seeing the reasoning behind it. Sylvanas pulled him aside, leaving the other four to come up with a better idea. Once they were alone, she glared at him. "What are you thinking?"

He met her stare evenly, not wincing away when it grew in intensity. "Sacrificing my free will is a lot better than seeing everyone here die today." He glanced over her shoulder, seeing Lor'themar, Halduron, Liadrin and Clea discussing ideas between each other. "I will buy all five of you time to regroup with the rest of the Horde and press the attack on Icecrown." He grinned at her reassuringly. "You'll be taking out a high ranking member of the Scourge if we do this."

She placed both her hands on either side of his face, making him look at her directly. "That may be, but you will just be bolstering their ranks once more. We will kill Kel'Thuzad, only to have him be replaced by someone much stronger than him." The intensity in her stare softened, but her words remained strong. "I don't see how that adds up."

He placed one hand on hers, moving it away from his face but not letting go of it. "If you have a better plan, I'd like to hear it. Otherwise, I believe it's the best we have." He stared at her for a few seconds, awaiting an answer and getting none from her. "I didn't think so." He let go of her hand and began to walk away from her, heading towards the room where Kel'Thuzad was.

Knowing she had to stop him, she grabbed his arm, spinning him around to face her and doing something she didn't think she would do. She placed both hands on either side of his face again, this time planting a kiss on his lips, holding him there for a couple of seconds before pulling away and looking at him with saddened eyes. "I can't lose you to that monster. There has to be another way around this."

He looked at her, dumbfounded by what just happened. His gaze met hers, noticing she really meant her words as she looked terrified at what would happen if he went through with his plan, an expression he hadn't seen on her before. He looked around, noticing they were still alone. He pulled her close, comforting her then he began to reassure her. "We'll come up with something else, don't worry."

Clea was leaning up against a wall, staring at both of them having snuck in without them knowing. "My Queen," She begun, startling both of them into breaking away from each other, Sylvanas straightening her hood whilst Athrodar brushed off nothing from his leathered tunic. "Everyone is ready to move out, we're just waiting on you two."

Sylvanas narrowed her eyes at her, throwing Clea off balance as she tried to avoid her stare. "What do you mean, they're ready? What's the plan?"

Clea looked to her feet, lowering her head to avoid her queen's stare. "They..."

"Speak!"

"They're going through with my plan..." He looked at Sylvanas then Clea, who nodded her head quickly, still avoiding her queens cold glare. Athrodar sighed, though not needn't of breath. "Very well, let's get this over with."

As all three met up with Lor'themar, Halduron and Liadrin, Sylvanas' anger burst out from within her, targetting her rage at the three living members. "You couldn't come up with a better plan! Giving him over to Arthas will make what we have done here all for naught." Her fiery glare made everyone uncomfortable, causing them all to look away. Liadrin however, met her glare with her own. "There has to be another way."

"My Lady, if we had another way, we would have spoken it."

Sylvanas looked at Lor'themar who looked at her briefly before looking away again, unsure what to feel about their plan. "Lor'themar, you can't honestly believe this is a smart move. We're giving them more power by doing this."

He looked back up at her, matching her stare evenly. "We will cross that path when we get to it. Right now, we need to destroy this necropolis and the Lich that resides within it."

She looked at everyone else, hoping to get them on her side. "Halduron, Liadrin, Clea, surely you know this is folly."

Halduron looked at Lor'themar then back at Sylvanas. "His life to save ours? I can't see any better outcome from this. It was his idea as well, it's not like we're putting this responsibility on him."

Liadrin nodded in agreement with Halduron. "He's right, My Lady." She frowned at Sylvanas, trying to assess what has brought on her disregard to the strategy. "Surely you know this is the best outcome we could possibly have. What does he mean to you anyway?"

She glared at only Liadrin, stepping closer to the paladin so all she could see was her fiery stare. "He got the title 'Prince of Death', surely that means something." She looked back at Athrodar, only to find he wasn't there. Her eyes began to dart around, panic growing within her. When her eyes met Clea's, she noticed there was something behind them that she was holding back. "Clea, where is he?"

Her Dark Ranger-General looked at the floor, avoiding her queens gaze. "He left, my Queen."

"When!?"

Clea glanced towards the doorway to Kel'Thuzad's room, looking back at Sylvanas. "A couple minutes ago, when you began to talk to Lor'themar." She looked towards where Athrodar went, quickly beginning to set off after him, Clea and the other Dark Rangers following her.

* * *

Athrodar unsheathed a sword, dragging it along the floor whilst walking down a narrow corridor leading towards the room in which Kel'Thuzad resides. As he entered the room, the gate behind him slammed shut, followed by an evil cackle. "So, the Prince has arrived. All by himself at that as well, planning to face me alone?"

Athrodar smirked at the taunt. "Come on Lich, surely you know better than to face me alone." He let out a small chuckle. "Though you're not alone, are you?"

Kel'Thuzad appeared from the shadows he hid in, tapping his skeletal fingers together. "Ah, so you _did_ feel his presence here." He extended out his skeletal arm, thin strips of cloth wrapped around it, pointing over to the other side of the room. "I'm sure you remember our King."

Arthas stepped out from the shadows, standing directly behind the Death Ranger. "So, my Prince has returned to me. Eager to serve me once more?"

Athrodar stepped forward a couple of paces, drawing his second sword and pointing both at Arthas. "I'd never willingly give myself over to you, butcher." He dropped both swords on the floor, offering both arms to him in surrender. "But, if it gets you away from here... Then I'll surrender myself to your will once more."

Sylvanas and her Dark Rangers arrived at the closed gate, watching everything unfold in front of them. Kel'Thuzad looked towards the gate, noticing her watching on, unable to do anything. "Ah, so the Banshee Queen arrives as well, along with her little entourage of pixies."

Arthas held Athrodar up with one hand, both of the Death Ranger's arms frozen together by ice. He glanced over to the entrance of the room, noticing Sylvanas standing there in horror as Athrodar was being dragged along. Arthas laughed at her, knowing her inability to do anything was frustrating her. "Sylvanas, so good to see you helpless once again." He looked down at Athrodar. "Thank you for bringing him back to me, he will make a powerful leader of the Scourge once more."

She let out a banshee scream in frustration, causing Arthas to drop Athrodar momentarily before picking him up again by the arms, lifting him off his feet. She glared at him, gritting her teeth in anger. "I will kill you, you son of a bitch."

He gave her a wry smirk, before pulling Frostmourne around and resting the tip of the blade on Athrodar's chest. "Of course, in order for him to come back under my control, he will have to die again."

Sylvanas' eyes widened as she realised what he was about to do. "No!" She held onto the bars, shaking them as much as she could, hoping that they would loosen enough for her to break them off their hinges.

Athrodar closed his eyes, lowering his head in preparation for the inevitable. When the blade pierced him, he felt the familiar curves and spikes wrench through his body as well as the unmistakable feeling of his life being sucked away from him once more. In his final moments, he glared at Arthas, defiance still in his eyes. "I will... break free again... you... bastard..."

Arthas looked at the lifeless body of Athrodar, laughing at the threat before opening up a death gate to Icecrown Citadel, throwing his body through the it first. He glanced back at Kel'Thuzad. "Deal with them Kel'Thuzad, show them what it means to fight the Scourge."

Kel'Thuzad let out an evil cackle. "As you wish, my king." Arthas walked through the Death Gate, having it close behind him shortly after.


	14. Chapter 14

**A sombre return home**

Arthas arrived at the Frozen Throne, dragging the lifeless body of Athrodar by his chained up arms, his legs scraping along the floor. He picked him up, feet inches from the floor, before throwing him towards the steps leading up to his throne. As the lifeless body of his former Prince landed, he walked over to him, placing the tip of Frostmourne on his chest. "You will retain the powers you once had, along with new ones." He smirked at the dead elf. "My connection to you will be stronger, leaving you very little option but to serve me fully, with no chance on the light severing you from my will again."

The process of reanimation took seconds, being as he was so close to the Frozen Throne and the very birthplace of the Lich King himself. When the process was complete, Athrodar's eyes shot open along with him launching himself forward onto his hands and knees, groaning in pain from being reanimated, again. When he did eventually get to his feet, he felt new power course through him, as well as the connection to the Lich King being firmly repaired. He stared at Arthas, showing no emotion on his face as he got an even look back at him.

With no need of a conversation, Arthas knew his Prince would listen to him. "Now that you are back on our side, I have a little task for you." He began to climb the steps to his throne, Athrodar spinning around to watch his king climb the steps until he reached the top. Upon sitting down at the throne, he carried on his train of thought. "There is a Vrykul encampment nearby called Ymirheim. It's located in the centre of Icecrown itself. I need you to go there and remind them that their 'Death God' is expecting their strongest warriors to fight for his honor."

Athrodar looked up at him, his hood distorting the view of his face, yet Arthas knew he was looking at him. "It will be done, my king." He bowed his head before turning around, looking to head off before stopping momentarily. "What of Naxxramas?"

"Let the Horde have their minor victory. What I have planned in the near future will crush any sense of accomplishment they'll get out of that place. And with you back under the banner of the Scourge, their victory will be short lived." Athrodar didn't reply, instead he set off for Ymirheim, knowing he had no choice in the matter, such was the fate of all those who served the Lich King.

* * *

Liadrin along with the paladins and priests amongst them held Kel'Thuzad in place with holy chains, forcing him to stay in place whilst the rest of them slaughtered the waves of undead coming from all seven portals located in the room. Wave after wave of skeletons, abominations and banshees were slain from those who were taking care of them.

Seeing his forces get massacred without his support, Kel'Thuzad grew angry and frustrated, clawing at the holy chains that had wrapped around him, burning his skeletal fingers. The Lich grimaced in pain, glaring at Liadrin and her blood knights. "Enough of this!" A pulse of frost magic burst out from Kel'Thuzad, knocking back the Paladins and Priests chaining him down, along with Liadrin.

The force of the spell cut off the connection the seven portals had, closing them instantly and leaving the remaining Scourge stranded in a room with the Forsaken and Sin'dorei forces, along with Kel'Thuzad. Liadrin stood up from where she was blasted back, holy flames burning in her eyes as she glared at Kel'Thuzad. "You'll pay for that, Lich!" She charged forward in a burst of speed, the closer she got to him, the brighter her eyes burnt until a flash of holy light blinded everyone in the room.

She leapt into the air, raising her sword above her head before bringing it crashing down onto the Lich. However, Kel'Thuzad extended out his hand to where he knew she was, albeit blinded by the light that protruded from Liadrin, he managed to grab her by the throat, the light dimming almost immediately. He cackled menacingly at her. "Nice try, little pala – Argh!"

Sylvanas along with her Dark rangers fired volley after volley of dark arrows at the Lich, making him to let go of Liadrin, dropping her to the floor and as she gasped for air. "Liadrin move!" Sylvanas commanded, drawing another arrow before letting it loose. Two of her blood knights ran to Liadrin's side, dragging her away as the others began to engage the Lich in combat.

Lor'themar took over from Liadrin, keeping Kel'Thuzad in place and focused on him whilst the paladins and priests amongst them assaulted the Lich with holy fire, weakening him more and more. Knowing his chances of surviving were slipping away the longer this battle went on, he sought to end it there and then. Kel'Thuzad extended out one of his skeletal arms, stretching his fingers as wide as they would go before several bolts of frost burst out from his palm, hitting many Sin'dorei and Forsaken troops, freezing or kiling them instantly.

Seeing this, Liadrin burst forward once more, her energy renewed after seeing her people were get slaughtered by the very being that corrupted the Sunwell all those years ago. She raised her sword above her head, holy flames in her eyes again only this time, a pair of golden wings grew from her back as she leapt forward, severing the arm of the Lich and causing an explosion of holy light to burst out from the blow.

Kel'Thuzad recoiled within himself before disintegrating into ash by the sheer power of the holy light hitting him. "The Master's will... Is... eternal.." All that was left of the Lich were his tattered robes, stripped to the bare minimum of what could be classed as clothing. Victory was theirs, but at a heavy cost.

Those left alive were celebrating this victory, raising weapons to the sky whilst cheers echoed the room they were in. The celebrations were brief however when they realised how many they had lost in order to get here, the countless lives spent in this necropolis alone was staggering compared to how many they had left. Liadrin collapsed to the floor, her energy utterly spent. Lor'themar and Halduron went around, checking the well-being of their troops along with the Forsaken.

Clea stood by her queen, saying nothing as Sylvanas stood still by the entrance of the room, brooding to herself over what had happened before they engaged Kel'Thuzad in combat. Her thoughts went back to the conversation she had with Athrodar about Icecrown Citadel and the many secret entrances there are to that forsaken place.

She paced around a little, stopping in front of Clea when her train of thought had finished. "Clea, I need you to take our forces back to Undercity." She glanced over to her Dark Rangers who were talking amongst themselves. "Leave Kalira and Loralen with me."

Clea looked back over her shoulder, spotting the two rangers her queen spoke of. She looked back at her queen, frowning at her request. "If I may ask, my Queen, why aren't you returning with us?"

Sylvanas glanced down at her Ranger-General from the corner of her eyes, her face remaining as stoic as ever. "I have a personal errand to run, it won't take long." She looked ahead at the tattered robes of Kel'Thuzad, going over the plan in her mind.

Clea stared at her queen, not sure if she should do as asked or not. When Sylvanas narrowed her eyes at her, she quickly got moving, gathering up the Forsaken forces and informing Kalira and Loralen that they were requested by their Queen. When Clea returned, she extended her hand out to her queen, who took hold of it firmly, shaking her hand. "I'll see you in Undercity, my Queen."

Sylvanas studied her two remaining Dark Rangers, knowing what she was about to ask them was risky in itself, but she knew they were loyal and would follow their queen anywhere. "Kalira, Loralen, what we're about to do risks the chance of being killed all together." She glanced at either one of them individually before continuing. "We are going to infiltrate Icecrown Citadel itself and kill Arthas when he least expects it. Can I trust you with this task?"

Both Dark Rangers looked at each other before looking back at their queen, nodding in agreement. "We will aide you in this task, my Queen. Even if we risk our lives in the process."

She grinned at them. "Good."

* * *

A week had passed since Athrodar left the Frozen Throne to go to Ymirheim, requesting the Vrykul's best warriors to be sacrificed to the Death God, and in return be raised as a powerful agent of the Scourge. Upon arriving at the Vrykul settlement, he was met with glares at first, the giant humanoids not trusting the elf on first sight. When he announced his reasoning for being there however, the Vrykul welcomed him with open arms, their leader showing him their best warriors.

Ten warriors lined up, shoulder to shoulder awaiting inspection. Athrodar began to inspect each one individually, not showing any thought or feeling to their status, nor the freezing climate they were presently in. When he reached the end of the line, he turned to their leader. "I will expect a demonstration, a duel perhaps."

"Of course! Death for the death god!" The Vrykul Thane raised a double bladed axe into the air. Athrodar thought the beings to be brutish in nature and a bit slow for his liking.

Athrodar stood there, watching the ten Vrykul battle each other in one on one combat, unamused by what he was seeing. He didn't find them to have any lack of skill, quite the contrary, he could see they were skilled fighters. He was unamused by the fact he had to watch over them, something any lackey of the Scourge could do.

The first of the ten warriors fell in combat, sealing his fate to be resurrected as a mindless minion. As if on cue, a Val'kyr appeared beside Athrodar, ready to raise the fallen Vrykul into a mindless minion of the Scourge whilst awarding the victorious fighter with undeath and incredible power. The Val'kyr were ascended female Vrykul, originally warriors of the light created to serve Odyn by bringing the spirits of the glorious dead to the Halls of Valor. The Scourge counterparts however, were agents of the Lich King, serving their master by raising countless dead at once whilst bestowing power to others.

"Helga." Athrodar glanced up at the Val'kyr that gently flapped its wings by his side. "You know what to do." She set off to do what she knew best. She raised the fallen Vrykul into a wretched being of the Scourge, barely representing his former glory, whilst awarding the victor with immense power and turning him undead, to serve the Lich King for as long as he can fight.

This went on with the eight other combatants, the victors granted power and the gift of undeath, whilst the slain were raised into mindless Scourge minions. The angelic being, once completing her duty, flew off back to Icecrown Citadel, back to the Lich King until she was called upon once more. Athrodar looked at the five unworthy Vrykul, cursed with the blight of mindlessness. "What do you call them, Thane?"

"The unworthy are called Vargul, my Prince."

He glanced up at the Thane that towered above him. "I see. Well, the Lich King would like you to dispose of them in any way you seem fit." His gaze met the five unfortunate souls who had be turned into the wretched beings. "He doesn't want those who had failed him to remain in his army." A thought crossed his mind, making him grin slightly. "Use them as practice for those who wish to serve the Death God."

Athrodar span on his heel, walking over to his Deathcharger that awaited him, only to be stopped by the Thane. "Will you be going so soon my Prince?"

"Yes, good Thane. But I will return in -"

The voice of the Lich King entered his mind, stopping him mid sentence. _"Return to me, Prince Athrodar. We have an unwelcome guest in our Citadel."_

Athrodar shook his head quickly, forcing himself back to reality. "I will return within a fortnight, have more warriors prepared for me in the meantime." Without looking back for a reply, he set off on his Deathcharger at full speed back towards Icecrown Citadel.

* * *

The trip back from Northrend was a quiet one, despite the victory they had in Dragonblight. The substantial amount of losses from both armies dampened the mood when they set sail with six empty ships. Most of their forces were already in Northrend before they set sail from Tirisfal Glades and Eversong, only to return back to their respected territories with a much smaller force than they set off with.

Upon arriving at Eversong Woods, Liadrin was met by Thalina almost instantly, the Magister throwing herself at her and embracing her in a tight hug. "Welcome home Liadrin!" Her mood was a pleasant change for the Blood Knight Matriarch considering what it was like on the way back home. "I take it you were victorious?"

Liadrin gave her a small smile. True they were victorious, but it came at a heavy price. "Yes, we were." She looked at Thalina, not knowing how to put what happened there in a way that wouldn't devastate her. "Look, Thal..."

Thalina looked around, noticing how small of a force was left. "We lost so many, it's going to take forever to rebuild our army." She looked around, searching for Sera but not finding her. "Did I miss Sera? Where is she?"

Liadrin closed her eyes, knowing what she was going to tell her would pain the Magister. "Thal... She didn't make it."

Thalina remained strong, looking at her friend and not showing her any reason to believe she would break down into tears. She instead shook her head, looking down at the ground. "How did she die?"

"A massive skeletal dragon froze her in one breath." She put a hand on Thalina's shoulder. "She pushed Athrodar out the way of the frozen attack."

Her head shot up, a single tear rolling down her face. "She saved the one person she looked up to more than anyone. I don't think it's something he would forget anytime soon." She looked at Liadrin who avoided her gaze, telling her that something else happened. "Liadrin, what is it? Athrodar is fine, right?"

Liadrin didn't know how to put it lightly, she couldn't even form the words to say it, instead opting to shake her head at the question. This caused Thalina to step back a couple paces, stumbling to the floor before curling up into ball, hugging herself whilst rocking back and forth, not wanting to believe that he had died, again. Liadrin ran over to her, kneeling down beside her and pulling her close, trying to calm her down but knowing it wasn't going to be easy.

Liadrin hummed some old Thalassian songs in her ear, knowing that it would do little to calm her at this moment, but it was something that would distract her long enough to not cry as well. She lightly cast holy spells on Thalina, soothing her the best she could. When she had calmed down enough to form a sentence, she stared off into the sea with teary eyes, wanting to know what happened to him. "How did he..?"

Liadrin rest her cheek on top of Thalina's head, following the Magister's gaze into the ocean. "That bastard Arthas took him from us." She grit her teeth in anger. "Again. But we will get him back. Trust me when I say I will get him back for you, Thal. We all will."

Thalina nodded to the best of her ability, considering she was pressed again Liadrin in a tight embrace. "And I will help you get him back." Before Liadrin could argue, she carried on her point. "He brought me back to Silvermoon during the siege and look what happened. I will not stand by again when I can do something."

Knowing better than to argue with her, she remained silent, staring off into the ocean with her, still holding her close in order to comfort her. When she did eventually speak, she decided to change topic. "How's little Tana? Is she giving your mother a hard time?"

Thalina let out a little chuckle. "She's a baby Liadrin, my mother loves her more than me at this age. But if you want to know, she's been an angel from what I've been told."

Liadrin snorted, not believing her. "I helped bring her into the world, I could see on day one she was a mischievous little one." She smiled as she thought back to a memory. "Much like her father was when he was younger."

Thalina smiled as she thought back on some fond memories as well. "He was, yeah. Though, most of his pranks were done to me, with the help of my beloved brother." She shook her head. "But he was sweet when he wanted to be. Those are the moments I long for."

Liadrin rubbed her arm, slowly starting to stand up. "Come on, let's get you home, you need to rest and clear your head. I, on the other hand, want to see that little one of yours and teach her the ways of the light, seeing as you want to rush into combat more than anyone I know."

"She's not even been on this world for a year and you're going to teach her the ways of the light." Thalina shook her head. "I almost regret naming you the godmother."

Liadrin poked her ribs, causing Thalina to squirm about. "You love me and you know it." She looked towards the horizon, seeing the city walls of Silvermoon. "Besides, I also want to see her adorable little ears. Oh and her eyes! Her big, innocent eyes make you forget about the bad in the world."

Thalina gave her an incredulous look, not believing what she was hearing. "Lady Liadrin, Matriarch of the Blood Knights and badass Paladin, brought to her knees by my child."

Liadrin pouted at her, crossing her arms in the meantime. "She's adorable okay? I can't help it."

Thalina gave her a beaming smile of victory, pulling her close as they got closer to home. "We're almost there, then you can have her all to yourself for a while."


	15. Chapter 15

**Infiltrate the Citadel**

Sylvanas crept through the halls of Icecrown, Loralen directly behind her, watching their backs as they slowly made their way through the Citadel. Kalira was told to get an escape plan underway, Sylvanas sending her to Dalaran to find an airship that could get to them quickly when the time comes to escape the Citadel should anything go wrong.

They both approached a set of closed doors, Sylvanas quickly darting to the one of them whilst Loralen went to the other. When they were in position, Sylvanas leaned up against the door, bow in hand whilst Loralen done the same with the other door. "Three... Two... One..." Sylvanas kicked the door open behind her, spinning around and aiming her bow at anything in the room that moved, her Dark Ranger shadowing her movements.

The room they entered was empty, apart from one object that was floating in the middle of the room, one object that Sylvanas recognised as Frostmourne itself. She approached the cursed blade slowly, lowering her bow and extending out her hand to touch it. She quickly withdrew her hand, studying the blade up and down. "I dare not touch it." She looked at Loralen who stood by her side. "Stand back. I'm going to try and commune with the blade. Someone or something within can help us.. Perhaps even offer us salvation."

Just before should could, a ghostly apparition burst forth, forming the likeness of Uther the Lightbringer. "Careful, girl. I've heard talk of this cursed blade saving us before." He glanced around the room. "Look around you and see what has been born of Frostmourne."

Sylvanas' eyes widened in shock. "Uther... Uther the Lightbringer.. How.."

He held up his hand, stopping her from talking. "We haven't much time. The Lich King sees what this blade sees. He will be here shortly."

Something burned within Sylvanas, hearing that Arthas was on his way. "Good! Then maybe I can end this here today. My destiny shall be fulfilled with the death of that butcher!"

"Listen to me girl! You cannot defeat the Lich King. Not here. You would be a fool to try. He will kill those that follow you and raise them as powerful soldiers of the Scourge." He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as if he was still alive. "But for you, Sylvanas, his reward for you would be worse than the last."

Sylvanas looked back at Loralen, returning her gaze to Uther. "There must be a way... We couldn't have come here for nothing..." She looked down at the bow in her hand, remembering why she came here to begin with. "What of his Prince? What of Athrodar?"

Uther shook his head, not knowing the answer to the question. "I haven't seen this Prince of his since he left for Ymirheim, a Vrykul village that worships the Lich King like he's some sort of God." He looked towards a door the led to Arthas' chambers. "But if he is truly back on the side of the Scourge. I suspect Arthas has called him back the moment he knew you were in these halls."

Loralen, overhearing their conversation, tugged on her Queen's arm, gaining her attention. "My Lady, if both Arthas and Athrodar are to be here, then we must leave, now."

Sylvanas heard the concerned words of her Dark Ranger, but chose to ignore them. "Uther, there must be a way we can kill Arthas."

He stroked his chin, deep in thought. "Perhaps. I believe the only way to defeat the Lich King is to destroy him at the place where he was created."

"The Frozen Throne..."

The doors to Arthas' chambers slammed open, the Lich King marching towards Uther and Sylvanas, picking up Frostmourne when he got close enough. "You have said quite enough, Paladin!" Arthas pointed Frostmourne at Uther, banishing him back into the abyss of the blade. His gaze met that of Sylvanas' "So, you wish to commune with the dead? You shall have your wish."

Two guards appeared from either side of the room, stepping closer to Arthas, Sylvanas and Loralen in the centre of them. "Falric. Marwyn. Bring their corpses to my chamber when you are through."

They both collectively bowed. "As you wish, my Lord."

Both Scourge Captains began to step closer to the two Dark Rangers, Arthas retreating back down the long hall he came from, closing the doors behind him when he passed through them. This alone raised the ire of Sylvanas, as he began to disappear down the corridor. "Damn you Arthas! You will not escape me so easily! I will have my vengeance!"

Both Elves were up against a Captain of the Scourge each, both knowing the former humans were no match for their countless years of training. What both Falric and Marwyn had in strength, they lacked in speed, which was what the former elves of Silvermoon prided themselves on. Both of them cutting down the former Captains of Lordaeron with ease, with Loralen getting a graze to the arm and Sylvanas remaining unharmed.

They both pressed forward, chasing down Arthas quicker than he could return to his chamber. When they finally caught up to him, Sylvanas fired an arrow at him. The projectile grazing his helmet and sticking into the wall behind him. "You are persistent, Banshee. Yet I fear it will cost you in the end." He glanced at Loralen before raising a hand at her, dark tendrils bursting forth and gripping the Dark Ranger before dragging her towards him. He aimed Frostmourne up at where she was going to land, impaling and killing her instantly.

Sylvanas watched her Dark Ranger die, aghast at what she had just seen. "That will be the last life you take, butcher!" She brandished both swords she had with her before charging at Arthas.

* * *

Athrodar rode through Icecrown at breakneck speed, his hood daring to fall off his head as he rode towards Icecrown Citadel, the loose bits of hair that poked out of his hood were flapping in the breeze behind him. He wore the same black leather armour he wore when with the Forsaken as a Death Ranger. The snow falling around Icecrown didn't touch him or his deathcharger despite the speed he was going, almost as if he was commanding the white flakes to avoid him.

His horse began to climb up the saronite steps leading towards the entrance of his Master's domain, quickly climbing down from it as he reached one of several teleportation pads located in the Citadel. He landed at the Frozen Throne, quickly scanning the area and finding nobody within sight. He decided to communicate with Arthas through his mind. _"My Lord, where are you?"_

" _I am in the Shadow Throne. There's a Banshee I need you to deal with, she is escaping through a cave. Stop her, my Prince!"_

Athrodar ran down the steps of the Frozen Throne, skipping two or three steps at a time, trying to quickly reach where he was told Sylvanas is going. When he got to the bottom, he scanned the area, not sure on where the fastest route was that would take him to the end of the cave, effectively cutting off Sylvanas' escape.

Images flashed through his head, almost like memories, showing him the quickest way through the Citadel. When they stopped, he was brought back to reality instantly, beginning to sprint through the Citadel, dodging and weaving through minions of Scourge that were aimlessly walking about. It took him minutes to finally get to where he knew to be, only to find an airship firing a volley of cannon fire at the entrance of the cave, causing an avalanche of snow and boulders to fall and block Arthas from pursuing Sylvanas.

Athrodar drew is bow, nocking an arrow and aiming at Sylvanas who stood at the cave entrance, looking at the boulders that blocked the way back into the Citadel. "Don't move, Banshee Queen."

She span on her heel, aiming her bow at her former Death Ranger. "Give up Athrodar, you're surrounded." She nodded her head towards the approaching airship, Kalira standing on the railing of it, aiming her bow at him as well.

He glanced around, spotting Kalira along with a small Horde force onboard the airship, ready to engage him in combat. He looked back at Sylvanas, smirking at her. "Very well. I suppose you're right." He began to lower his bow. "Although, I reckon I could take most of you out before I fall." He raised his bow again, firing an arrow at the unaware Kalira.

Sylvanas was prepared for this, moving her aim a little to the right, releasing an arrow at the projectile he let loose at Kalira, watching it collide with his and breaking it in two, both pieces falling off the edge of the Citadel. As Athrodar watched his initial attack fail, Sylvanas quickly reacted to his distraction by throwing a poison laced dagger that stuck deep into his chest.

Athrodar looked down at the dagger sticking out of his chest, quickly yanking it out before his world began to spin. Seeing that the dagger was poisoned, he quickly began to set up a defence around him, his actions mostly commanded by Arthas through him. He began to erect walls of ice around him, slowly blocking off any access they had to him. "You will not take him again!" Athrodar bellowed from within the walls ice he created, though the voice sounded more like Arthas than like him.

The more energy Athrodar exerted in building up his barricade, the weaker he got. The poison that was now working its way around his system, was slowing him down immensely to the point where he could no longer create another wall of ice. Instead, he fell back against the snow and floor of the Citadel, struggling to keep his eyes open as Sylvanas and Kalira ran over to him, picking him up off the floor and dragging him on the airship.

Sky-Reaver Korm Blackscar, captain of the vessel glared at the Banshee queen and her subordinate. "What are you doing? Bringing a member of the Scourge aboard my vessel!"

She glared at the orc, continuing to drag Athrodar down to the living quarters of the airship. "Hold your tongue worm, unless you want me to cut it from you."

The orc Captain didn't speak after that, slowly walking away grumbling himself. Sylvanas and Kalira moved Athrodar down to a secure room, making sure to keep a watchful eye on him the whole trip. Sylvanas, not knowing where they were going, stared at Kalira for a few seconds, waiting for her Dark Ranger to notice her gaze. "Where are we heading anyway?"

"We are going to Dalaran, My Lady. Rhonin Redhair requested to meet with you after hearing what you were up to in here." She held her queens gaze for as long as possible before looking away. "Thrall will apparently be there as well."

Sylvanas sighed, already exasperated by the conversation that was sure to come. "Very well, I figured this would happen." She looked down at the unconscious body of Athrodar. "I suppose they could do something with this one."

Kalira stared at Athrodar, unsure on what to feel at this moment. "How long will he be... you know... out?"

"For a few hours at least. Enough time to get him to Dalaran and in one of their cells in the Violet Hold." She frowned at her former Death Ranger. "Though I wished we didn't have to do that."

When they eventually arrived in Dalaran, they were met by two Kirin Tor Guardians who had apparently been waiting for them for several minutes now. "Lady Sylvanas, if you'd follow us this way, Archmage Rhonin is waiting for you in the Violet Citadel. With him is Warchief Thrall and his advisors Garrosh Hellscream and Varok Saurfang."

"Before I follow you to your Archmage." Sylvanas snapped her fingers. Shortly after Kalira and a few of the crew from the airship carried Athrodar down to the guardians. "I suggest you put this one in one of your cells in the Violet Hold."

Both of the Kirin Tor Guardians looked at each other, sharing looks of confusion at her request. "My apologies Lady Sylvanas, but who is this?"

"You're stationed out in Northrend, and you don't recognise the Prince of Death himself?" She shook her head as they both stood there, dumbfounded by what she said. "Where's your Archmage, surely he understands what I'm saying." She pushed her way past the two guards, marching her way up to the Violet Citadel.

She got halfway to the Citadel when she ran into the Archmage, along with his two sons. "Ahh, dear sister, you have arrived."

She glared at the human. "I am not your sister, I stopped being that when I died." She pinched the bridge of her nose, not wanting to get into this conversation now. "Look, I have something I need of you," She pointed toward Athrodar who was being watched over by Kalira and the two Kirin Tor Guardians. "I need you to put him in one of your cells in the Violet Hold."

He began to stroke the tuft of hair on his chin. "Is that?"

"Yes, that's why I need you to-"

"Very well, I'll see it done." He nodded towards the two Kirin Tor Guardians who awaited his command, sending them both to the Violet Hold with Athrodar. "We need to talk." He extended his hand out towards the Violet Citadel. "Your Warchief is waiting." They both began to walk towards the meeting area, Kalira following close behind.

* * *

Athrodar woke up a few hours after being placed in the cell, finding himself trapped behind an arcane barrier. When he tried to communicate to his master, he found he couldn't. He could feel his presence in his mind, but there was no answer when he tried to talk to him. He looked around, finding nothing in there at all apart from himself, the floor and the walls that made up his jail cell.

When he tried to use an ability to break the arcane barrier, it backfired on him, throwing him across the cell and into the back wall. He got up on to his feet, glaring at the guard that was tasked to watch over him. "Let me out and I'll gift you with a quick death."

The guard looked up from the book he was reading. "As tempting as that sounds, you're not getting out."

Athrodar slammed his fist against the arcane barrier, letting out his frustration. "When I do get out of here, you'll be the first I kill. I'll make sure of it."

The guard went back to reading his book, sighing at the threat. "If you say so."

Athrodar stepped back, leaning up against the wall and sliding down until he was sitting, propping up a knee and resting his eyes. He tried to communicate with the Lich King once more, straining his mind enough that he began to get a headache, but it was all for nothing.

Whilst he was trying to commune with his master, several sets of footsteps were getting closer and closer to him. He couldn't count how many there were until they came into his field of view. He looked at his visitors, smirking as they began to stare at him, talking to each other. "So, which one of you do I have to thank for my captivity?"

One of them snapped at him, an orc from what Athrodar could see. "Hold your tongue worm!"

Athrodar stood up from where he sat, walking over to the arcane barrier that separated him from his visitors. "Temper, temper. All that rage could make you do something you'd regret. Young Hellscream."

Garrosh stepped closer to the barrier, gripping one hand around his axe. "If this barrier wasn't here, I'd split you in two, abomination!"

Athrodar chuckled at the young orc. "That is something I'd love to see. Pity you won't be around to follow up on that threat." He began to scan the room, looking at the others that were there, spotting Sylvanas at the back, staring at him. "Ah, so it's true what they say. The Dark Lady _does_ watch over you."

Garrosh slammed his fist against the arcane barrier, grabbing Athrodar's attention. "Look at me, you Scourge bastard!"

Thrall stood behind the young orc, pulling him away slightly. "Don't rise to the bait Garrosh. With the state he is in now, he is of no use to the Scourge." He turned his head towards Rhonin. "What do you plan to do with him?"

Sylvanas stepped forward. "Yes, what _are_ you going to do with him?"

Rhonin played with the tuft of hair on his chin, deep in thought at the questions. "I suppose we can interrogate him, see what he knows about the Citadel that watches over Icecrown." He glanced at Sylvanas who was standing next to him, staring at the side of his face as if to burn a hole in it. "Then we will figure out a way to get him back on our side... again."

Athrodar laughed at them, relishing the idea of them trying to torture him and him being let out of this prison. When he caught Sylvanas' gaze, he gave her a wry smile. "Lady Sylvanas, I see my sacrifice wasn't for nothing. Though, I won't forget how you begged me not to go through with it." He placed both hands on the arcane barrier, leaning in as close to it as possible. "How you kissed me when I was about to walk away." He grinned at her. "Come on, let me out and I will stay by your side forever."

She stepped closer to him, stopping a few steps away from the barrier that kept him trapped in the cell. "You're not the same person I..."

He chuckled at her pause, knowing that she was about to speak something she didn't want anyone around her to know. "Not the same person that what? That you offered that proposition to? That you wanted to have by your side?" He paused, staring at her for a few seconds before giving her a wide grin. "That you loved?"

Sylvanas ran up to the barrier, slamming her fists against it time and time again, letting out her frustration at his perfect reading of her, much to Athrodar's amusement. Thrall and Varok pulled her away. "Sylvanas, control yourself!" Thrall looked at Athrodar who was leaning up against a wall, taking in everything that just happened, smiling the whole time at this little victory. "He is trying to manipulate us into opening the cell by touching sensitive subjects or getting us angry enough to fight him."

Rhonin placed a hand on Thrall's shoulder. "Come, let us discuss this matter further, away from this agent of the Scourge." He glanced at the face of Sylvanas before turning back to Thrall. "You will have to inform the rest of the Horde whilst I tell the leaders of the Alliance about this."

They all left Athrodar alone with the guard that was assigned to watch over him, reading his book only to occasionally peer over it to check on the imprisoned Scourge Prince.


	16. Chapter 16

**An Important Visit**

Ten days had passed since Liadrin's return home. She spent a couple of days with Thalina before returning to Silvermoon, only to return back to the Magister with important news. "I could watch her sleep for hours." Liadrin was sitting down next to a cot that held Thalina's daughter, Tanadia. She had both her arms crossed on the side of it, resting her head on her arms whilst staring at the baby. "She looks so peaceful, her innocence not taken away from her yet."

Thalina was sitting down on the other side of the room, reading up on a book of different fire magics that she picked up in Silvermoon. "Not that I don't love it when you're here, but why are you here?"

Liadrin reached down into her pocket, pulling out a letter and stretching out her arm in Thalina's direction, all whilst still sitting down, staring at Tanadia. When Thalina didn't take the note immediately, Liadrin started wave her hand around, trying to get her attention. "Read it, it explains one of the reasons why I am here."

Thalina took the note, noticing the seal on it immediately. "The Kirin Tor? What do they want with me?" She watched Liadrin for an answer, the paladin only shaking her head at the question. Thalina opened the letter, beginning to read through its contents. When she got to the bottom, she frowned at Liadrin, who was still staring at the baby. "How long have you had this?"

"We've had this letter for two days, but the Kirin Tor has had him in that cell for about two weeks now. All we know about the situation is he is still under Arthas' control and they haven't come up with a solution on how to break him free from it." She placed her hand down in the cot, gently using holy magic on Tanadia who was stirring in her sleep.

Thalina stood by her side, watching what Liadrin was doing. "I need to see him."

Liadrin didn't look up at her, but her tone was strong enough to dictate her answer despite the lack of eye contact. "You are staying here. Even if you did somehow find yourself in Dalaran, they won't allow you to get close to him."

"You can either try to stop me, or you can help me get to Dalaran and see him." Without giving her time to respond, Thalina went to a different room, beginning to pack a small travel bag along with a spellblade she had. Upon returning to the room Liadrin was in, she walked over to the cot that contained her child, bending over the side of the cot and kissing her daughter on the head before walking out the door.

Liadrin sighed, looking down at the sleeping babe. "Your mummy seems to be as impatient as ever. But she is doing it for a good reason, or so she believes." Liadrin plays with the babes foot. "Though you're too widdle to understand that."

Thalina stood outside the house, waiting for Liadrin but her patience was running thin. "Liadrin, come on!"

Liadrin smiled as Tanadia stared up at her, having been woken up by her mother. "I knew she wouldn't wait long for me." She lightly placed a finger on Tanadia's forehead, drawing a pattern on her which left behind a trail of holy magic. "Don't worry, I'll bring her back in one piece." She stood up, staring down at the cot once more, trying her hardest to drag herself away as Tanadia giggled to herself. "You're making this harder than it needs to be kid."

Thalina burst into the room, forcefully dragging Liadrin away from her child. "You weren't stopping me, so now you are coming with me. If that means I have to drag you to Dalaran myself then so be it."

* * *

"As much as we'd like to help you, Warchief, we are busy with the Blue Dragonflight at the moment. Their aspect, Malygos, is siphoning the world of its magic and are constantly assaulting this city on a regular basis." Archmage Rhonin sighed deeply. "Your business at the Wrathgate will have to be aided by the Alliance."

Thrall sat back in his chair, grumbling to himself in thought. He turned to Varok, looking for his council on the matter. "They would make a powerful ally in this war. Their numbers, along with ours, could change the outcome of this battle."

"Approach this subject with caution, Warchief. The Alliance may not be easily persuaded into this deal, old hatreds burn within both factions." Saurfang turned his gaze towards Rhonin. "But, perhaps if someone they will listen to speaks of this pact, they may see reason."

Garrosh slammed his fist down on the table hard, the force knocking over a couple of mugs of ale that were placed on it. "I can't believe you're even thinking about working with the Alliance! What's to say they don't stab us in the back when the opportunity presents itself!"

Thrall remained calm, turning to his youngest advisor. "I will speak with Jaina, she can convince King Varian that we are to be trusted in this and that we will have a truce whilst the Lich King still remains the dominant threat."

Garrosh launched up off his chair, outraged with what he was hearing, his arms flying in the air with frustration. "You go crawling back to that human mage! This is not the way of the old Horde, we take matters into our own hands!"

Thrall stood up, placing the legendary Doomhammer down on the table. "Take a walk Garrosh, your head is not in the mindset I need it in." He stared Garrosh down until he submitted, skulking out of the Violet Citadel, followed by Varok who sought to calm him down. Sitting back down in his chair, Thrall glanced over towards a darker area of the room, covered in shadow. The only light source being the two glowing, crimson eyes that stared back at him. "You're rather quiet, Lady Sylvanas. What's your take on this?"

Sylvanas sat forward, though was still concealed in the shadows. "I believe what we need is locked in the Violet Hold. However, we do not have the means to break him free from Arthas' control. Something that isn't helped by sitting here talking politics." She stood up, pointing in the direction of the Violet Hold. "You want my take on this? I say we work on a way to break Athrodar free from Arthas' control."

Rhonin sat back on his chair, letting out a long sigh. "We have not come close to figuring out how to release him from the Lich King's hold. If what he has told us over the last two weeks is true, then his connection to Arthas is stronger than it was the first time." He stood up, walking towards a window at oversaw Dalaran. "Even if Highlord Tirion could replicate what he did, it may kill the Scourge Prince, ultimately making the trip here pointless."

Sylvanas stepped out of the shadows, standing next to the table they all sat around. "It's worth a shot." She looked at Thrall then back to Rhonin. "If Highlord Tirion could replicate what he did the first time, then there's a chance he will break free."

"But what of the risk?" Rhonin reminded her.

"Then he will do it in bursts." She stood directly in front of Rhonin, making sure her posture was commanding enough to convince him. "Listen to me when I say, he will be a valuable asset if he fights with us rather than against us."

Thrall mulled over the subject, thinking on behalf of everyone more than just the Horde. "If we do go through with that plan, and it does kill him, we will be left with one less Scourge Commander. That alone would benefit us greatly."

Rhonin took a sip of water from the goblet in front of him. "He is also secured in the Violet Hold like you've pointed out, Lady Windrunner. He posses no threat to -" Rhonin was cut off by an argument that was happening outside the room they were in, their muffled voices speaking in Thalassian.

"They're having a meeting in there Thal, you can't just burst in and expect them to listen to you!"

"I don't care if it's the Lord of the Burning Legion himself, I want to know where they're keeping him!"

"I'll hold you down if I have to, anything to get you to stop and think for a second before doing this."

"You wouldn't be able to hold me down." The taunt was followed by a crashing sound of armour hitting the floor. "See, I told you."

"You blinked away, that's not exactly fair!"

The doors to the Violet Citadel opened up, Archmage Rhonin standing over the two elves that were arguing midway up the steps that led to him. "If you two are quite finished I'd like to know why you are here, interrupting a meeting I was having with your Warchief."

Liadrin shot up, standing to attention before bowing at the Warchief and Archmage. "My apologies, I didn't mean to intrude on your meeting." She glanced at Thalina who was surprisingly quiet, despite her not caring moments ago. "This is Magister Thalina Dawnstrider, she is here to see the Scourge Prince you've managed to... obtain."

When Thalina didn't speak up, Liadrin elbowed her into talking. "R-right, yes! I am here t-to see Athrodar... Wh-where have you kept him?" Her hesitation amused Liadrin, the paladin trying to hide her laughter behind her hand, which made Thalina elbow her in the ribs.

Rhonin began to walk down the steps, stopping in front of the pair of them. "Dawnstrider.. Ah yes! I remember now. How's your father?" He smirked. "Still Grand Magister I hope."

Thalina stared at him, not finding the collective words to create a sentence in response to his question. "My... my.. father?"

Liadrin stepped in front of Rhonin, smiling at him. "One moment." She turned to face Thalina, slapping her across the face to get her attention. When she snapped back to reality, she glared at Liadrin, rubbing where the paladin's hand connected to her face. "The nice man asked you a question, I suggest you answer it."

Fighting back the urge to launch a small fireball at Liadrin, Thalina smiled at Rhonin the best she could, despite the slow swelling of her cheek. "Yes, he's still a Grand Magister, and he's doing great, thanks for asking." Her face turned serious now, locking eyes with Rhonin. "Where is Athrodar?"

Rhonin looked down at her, not becoming intimidated by her attempt to make herself bigger than she was. "I will show you where he is. But first, you must answer me one question, Magister. What's your relation to the elf?"

Before Thalina could answer, Sylvanas spoke up for her. "He was her former lover. Before his life was taken from him." She stared down at the two elves that interrupted their meeting, not amused with their timing. "Though I don't think that warrants her access to see him. She's so infatuated with the Scourge Prince that she will become manipulated by him, granting him the opportunity he needs to escape."

Thalina glared at the Banshee Queen, finding the meaning in her words to be mocking. "Do you think me some sort of child, Sylvanas?" Her use of her first name vexed Sylvanas a little, causing her to stare intensely at the Magister. "I know that's not the same Athrodar I fell in love with, but I know he's in there somewhere. I just want the opportunity to see if it's possible to drag that version of him out."

"And he's the father of her adorable child." Thalina shot a glare at Liadrin, not wanting her to have said that. Liadrin looked down to the floor, knowing she spoke out of turn. "Sorry."

Rhonin smiled at Thalina, knowing all too well what it was like to be a parent. "Very well, I will allow you to see him, though you will be under watch. I can't have you walking around the Violet Hold on your own, let alone to go see a former lover, not matter what you feel for him now."

Sylvanas scoffed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I can't believe you're actually letting her see him. He will get his escape through using her!"

Rhonin turned around to face Sylvanas, shaking his head at her. "As I said, she will be watched over by someone, nothing will happen."

Sylvanas, glanced at Thalina then turned her gaze back at Rhonin. "Fine, have it your way. If you need me, I'll be back in Undercity. I have an army to rebuild after taking out Naxxramas. You're welcome by the way." Sylvanas walked down the steps leading up to the Violet Citadel, brushing past Thalina and Liadrin and marching off towards the portal room in Sunreaver Sanctuary, an area in Dalaran located specifically for the Horde.

Rhonin walked over towards Liadrin and Thalina, beckoning them both to follow him. "Come, let me take you to him." He glanced at Liadrin. "I don't suppose you would watch over her whilst she sees him?"

Liadrin smirked at Thalina, who in turn frowned at her. "Of course Rhonin. I'll make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. After all, she can be a bit... rebellious towards people she doesn't know." Liadrin stopped walking, placing a finger on her chin in thought. "Come to think of it, you're rebellious towards people you know as well."

Thalina gasped at the accusation. "I am not!"

Liadrin laughed at her, knowing she wasn't fooling anyone. "You rebelled against me when I told you to stay in Eversong with your child. Instead, you felt you had to come to Dalaran of all places, despite both Grand Magister Rommath and Telramar, your father, telling you to stay away."

Thalina didn't press the conversation any further, instead keeping quiet until they reached the entrance to the Violet Hold. Upon looking at the two massive doors that stood between them and the inside of the prison, Rhonin turned towards Liadrin. "Make sure she remains safe, I will be returning to your Warchief to continue the meeting we were having." He glanced at the set of doors. "Perhaps we can come up with a plan to save him."

Rhonin left the two elves shortly after, heading back to the Violet Citadel. Liadrin stepped closer to the set of doors, only to stop and look back at Thalina who hadn't moved since they arrived outside them. She tilted her head a little, frowning at the Magister. "Thal, are you coming?"

Thalina stared at the set of doors, the look of worry playing on her face. "What if he doesn't recognise me any more? What if he's too far gone to be brought back? What if he all he can see is darkness? What if -"

Liadrin placed both hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me Thal. You're one of the few people I know who can bring out the good in people. Even if your methods are a little out there." She smiled at her companion. "Sometimes you need to see darkness to find the light. Something I believe you can bring it out in him."

A new spark of confidence lit up inside Thalina, her face showing the familiar determination of fighting for something she believes in. "Let's go."


	17. Chapter 17

**A Violet Meeting**

Walking into the Violet Hold, Liadrin and Thalina were met with a series of cells, all containing some manner of creature said to be dangerous to the outside world. Each one glowed with the purple arcane magic that secured them inside their respective cells, only to be opened up if deemed safe to the public.

As they scanned each one from a distance trying to find the one that contained Athrodar, they soon found one of the arcane barriers being guarded by two guards standing either side of the magical wall, to which they figured it would be his. What started off as one guard on duty to watch over him soon became two when he almost managed to escape within the first two days of captivity. Liadrin glanced over to Thalina who was staring at the two guards. "It can only be him. Who else would so dangerous as to have two guards keep an eye on him in a place he can't escape from."

Thalina smiled a little, knowing Liadrin to be telling the truth. "He was always more dangerous than people thought at first glance. His reputation as an assassin was by name, not by face." She began to walk slowly towards the two guards, Liadrin staying close behind her every step. When both elves got close enough to the arcane barrier, both of the guards stepped forward, raising their spears at them.

Athrodar looked up from where he was sitting, getting to his feet and placing both hands against the barrier, leaning forward and shifting his weight onto his hands. "Easy boys, the missus has come to pay me a visit." He smirked at the pair of elves that stood before him. "Though, we weren't married so I guess it should be 'My former-lover'." He looked back at the two guards, both of them not moving from their spot. "You're still here?"

Neither one of them turned around, both looking at the two elves that stood there, waiting to be alone with Athrodar. "We have been given clear instructions to guard this... Prince... at all times."

Liadrin stepped forward, sizing up the bigger guard out of the two. "We have been given clearance to talk to him, alone." She stepped closer to the guard, getting in his personal space. "Leave."

"I'm sorry, but Archmage -"

Thalina stepped forward, having lost her temper at the guard. "Archmage Rhonin was the one who gave us clearance!" She glared at the pair of them, small licks of flames burning in her eyes. "If you don't allow us privacy with him, your Archmage will hear how you disobeyed an order." She stood directly in front of him, pulling him down to her eye level. "I'm sure you don't want that."

The smaller of the two guards pulled the guard Thalina was holding on to. "I suppose we can always go check with the Archmage. If what they say is true, then we won't have to return until they're done." The bigger guard looked at Thalina then back at his friend, nodding his acceptance to the request. Both of them leaving shortly after.

Liadrin leaned over to Thalina as they watched the two guards leave. "Go talk to him, I'll be nearby if you need me."

Thalina placed her hand on Liadrin's forearm, smiling at her. "Thank you." She stood there for a few seconds, watching Liadrin move towards the entrance of the Violet Hold, but not leaving building. She span on her heel, looking directly at Athrodar who was staring at her intently. "So. How do you feel?"

Athrodar sniggered at her question, shaking his head whilst grinning. "Small talk, really?" He looked up at her, noticing she didn't express any emotion on her face. "You really want to know how your former-lover, who has been killed and raised to fight for the Scourge, twice, feels?" He stared at her, waiting for some sort of response and getting none. "I feel empty." He pushed himself off the barrier, walking to the opposite side of his cell, away from her. "Like I am missing something that gave me a reason to carry on. It was there after I died the first time, but now?" He shook his head, not giving her any eye contact.

Thalina stepped closer to the arcane barrier, placing one hand on it, catching Liadrin's attention from across the room and causing her to stand up from where she was sitting. "You're missing a purpose in life." She kept her voice low, so only he could hear her. "Something that could be yours when we break you from _his_ control." She placed her forehead on the arcane barrier, looking at him with half closed eyes, whispering to him. "Something I could give you."

Athrodar began to laugh at her offer, knowing that even before he was killed in Naxxramas he wouldn't have taken her up on it. He glanced over at her, noticing she was crouched down, watching the floor below her with sad eyes, both her forehead and one hand still on the arcane barrier that kept him imprisoned in here. He slowly walked over to her, crouching down and placing a hand on the arcane barrier, exactly where her hand was placed. His gaze met her face, though she didn't look up at him. "You were supposed to stay away from Northrend."

Thalina exhaled sharply through her nose, giving him a weak smile and flicking her eyes up to meet his. "You know me. I don't follow rules set out by those who can't enforce them." She sat on the floor, both her legs comfortably tucked up under her as she faced him fully now. "I know you don't feel the same, but I've missed you."

Athrodar's gaze left her face, looking towards the floor next to her. He frowned at her repetitive confession, something he had heard time and time again upon being raised from the dead. "You're right about me not feeling the same, but I will admit I did before I died the second time." He looked up at her again, finding amusement in her shocked expression. "A part of me still loved you, though that doesn't matter now." He looked towards Liadrin who was staring at him from across the room. "I'm surprised she hasn't told you what we spoke about in Naxxramas."

Thalina closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek as she shook her head slowly. "She has only told me what I have asked her about." She turned her head around to face Liadrin, opening her eyes to look at the paladin for a few seconds before looking back at Athrodar. "She just want to make sure I am safe." Her bloodshot eyes met his, trying to find some sort of pupil in them to know he was looking back at her, sighing when she couldn't. "I wish things went back to the way they were, before you were called off on that assignment all those years ago."

"Who's to say I wouldn't end up the same way." Athrodar leaned back against a wall, moving his hand off the arcane barrier. "Being dead hasn't been too bad. The powers I have been given has saved me more times than I care to admit." He glanced at Thalina who's eyes went wide at his confession. "Although I miss the warmth of life. Death has given me more freedom in terms of what I can do."

"But being risen from the dead is a curse!" Thalina exclaimed, her voice echoing through the building. "Death should allow you to rest in the after life, watching over those you love who are still among the living." She sniffed, tears ever present on her face. "I would have preferred that over what you've become now."

Athrodar grit his teeth in frustration, the sight of her crying acting only as an annoyance now in his current situation. "Why are you here Thalina? If it's not to help me break out of here, then I don't care."

Thalina wiped away a couple of tears from her eyes, looking down at the floor in the meantime. "I am here because I still love you. I know you're not the man I fell in love with, I get that. But I do know he is still in there and I will do anything in my power to break him free from your hold."

Athrodar scoffed, getting up on his feet and walking to the back of his cell once more, facing away from Thalina. "My connection to Arthas is too strong to be severed once more." As he said that, he tried to communicate with his master again, finding that he could feel him in his head but getting no response to his questions.

Thalina got up onto her feet as well, placing a hand on the barrier. "If you're so special to him, why has nobody come to rescue you?" She let the question linger for a while before adding to it. "Unless, you can't tell him where you are because he can't hear you." His lack of response gave her all the information she needed, allowing a small smile to play on her lips. "Your connection to him is severed whilst you're in this cell."

Athrodar ran to the barrier, slamming both fists on it. "You don't know what you're talking about!" The speed in which he got there startled Thalina, making her step back a couple of paces, thinking she was about to get attacked by him. "The Lich King will get me out of here, and I will be by his side once again when he does, spreading the gift of undeath to all the citizen of Azeroth."

Thalina stepped closer to the arcane barrier again, the magical shield being the only thing separating the two of them. "You feel weak, don't you? Knowing what true power tastes like, only to have it ripped away from you whilst being in here." She slowly placed a hand on her chest, just over her heart. "That's just a small taste of how I felt when I lost you the first time."

Athrodar looked down at her, her small height losing this battle, he grinned at something that crossed his mind as she spoke, knowing that he had done this to someone else not too long ago. "That would make you the first of two people I have made feel like that, as far as I know."

She looked at up, frowning at him. "What do you mean, the first of two people? Who's the other?" As soon as she asked the second question, she knew she didn't want the answer to it.

He smirked at her, knowing she won't like the answer. "A certain... Banshee... has been stalking me ever since she found out what I was capable of."

Thalina's eyes widened in alarm. "Sylvanas?"

"Bingo, we have a winner." Athrodar chuckled to himself. "That Queen of theirs tried to dig her claws into me, claiming me for herself. Her lust for power dictating her actions, one of which was to try and get me to feel comfortable around her."

Thalina shook her head, stepping back a couple paces away from him. "You're lying, you're trying to get me to do something I would regret."

Athrodar began to pace back and forth along the arcane barrier, staring at her the whole time. "Am I? Don't be so naive girl, think back to when you've seen us together, notice anything out of the ordinary with her? A touch here, a look there?" He stopped moving, facing her fully whilst resting his arm on the barrier, leaning his forehead on the middle of it. "She offered me a deal. Once we cleared Naxxramas, I would stay by her side, feeling like I belonged somewhere in the world once more. It was tempting, I'll tell you that now."

Thalina looked back at Liadrin, giving her a slight nod, the paladin moving towards her quickly. When she turned back to Athrodar, Liadrin by her side, he was sitting at the back of his cell, staring at the both of them once more. "I presume you didn't take her up on the offer?" He shook his head, allowing Thalina to carry on her line of inquiry. "Why not? What made you decide not to?"

"At the time, I didn't want to be like Arthas, yet everything I was doing was leading down the exact same path he was on all those years ago." He focused on the entrance to the Violet Hold for a few seconds, his mind focused on something else. "After I told her that, she tried her best to convince me I wasn't." He lightly laughed under his breath. "The kiss almost persuaded me."

Thalina frowned at him, not one-hundred percent certain on what he was saying. "The kiss? What kiss?" She glanced over at Liadrin before focusing on him again. "Our kiss, just before you brought me back to Silvermoon?"

"No," Athrodar stood up, slowly walking towards them. "That was more of a necessary distraction, one that would allow me to knock you out. I was on about the one Sylvanas and I shared, just before I handed myself over to Arthas."

Thalina stared at him, unsure of what to say, which forced Liadrin to step forward and take the conversation into her hands. "What do you mean the one between you and Sylvanas? When did this happen?"

Athrodar chuckled at the pair of them. "What happened Magister? Was that all too much for you, are you a loss for words now?"

Liadrin stepped in front of her, blocking his vision of Thalina. "You're speaking to me now you bastard." When Thalina tried to push her out the way, Liadrin held strong, keeping the Magister behind her. "Why are you bringing this up now? Especially without proof to your claim."

"Without proof? Do you see the Banshee Queen here? I bet she has been begging to find a way to free me from Arthas, just like how she begged me to stay after she kissed me." Athrodar leaned against the arcane barrier with his arm, looking directly at Liadrin. "What do you think we were doing all those times she pulled me away from the group? A quick little strategy meeting?" His tone was mocking, along with his smirk.

Liadrin glared at him, moving forward a couple steps, keeping Thalina within her grasp. "So, when we were planning on ways to deal with Kel'Thuzad and his minions, you two were having a little private time to yourselves?" She grit her teeth at their lack of care back in Naxxramas. "If Thal didn't still love you, or whatever is left of you, I would purge your very being."

Athrodar's face lit up with excitement. "Now there's a challenge I'd love to see. Take down this barrier and I'll gladly fight you, Liadrin."

Liadrin scoffed in disgust at him, turning around to Thalina. "Come on Thal, let's go. I've seen enough for today." She began to lightly push her towards the set of doors that led them into the prison until Thalina began to walk on her own, the Magister looking back at shrinking form of Athrodar every few seconds. "Don't worry, he'll still be there when you next visit. I trust they will keep him in there until they have a plan to break him free from Arthas."

As they left the Violet Hold, they both sat down on the side of a bridge that went over a small body of water outside the prison, their feet dangling down to skim the surface of the water. "I know, it's just... I didn't expect him to be such a.."

Liadrin raised an eyebrow, glancing over to her companion to finish off her sentence. "An arsehole?" When Thalina looked back at her to nod, Liadrin gave her a warm smile. "I can understand that."

Thalina sighed, resting her head on Liadrin's shoulder. "I just want him back Li Li, I miss waking up and knowing he will be there, even when he went off into Southern Quel'Thalas because of his duties to Silvermoon. He would come back eventually." She wrapped one of her arms around Liadrin's, holding it tight whilst she wept quietly by the paladin's side.

Liadrin moved her free hand up to Thalina's face, wiping off a couple of tears. "I know, I miss him too. The stupid jokes he would tell when I would get the chance to patrol with him, his playful nature and the way he would ask about his mother and your family when I had the chance to visit you all." She continued to wipe away a few tears that rolled down Thalina's face, stopping on the third tear and frowning at her friend. "Did you just call me Li Li?"

Thalina's shoulders began to bob up and down whilst she tried to hide her laughter. When she looked up at Liadrin, she was met with a glare. "Hey, if you allow me to call you Li Li every now and then, I'll be more than happy for you to visit my daughter whenever you want." She saw Liadrin weighing up the offer in her head. "I'll even let you tutor her if she starts to show an affinity towards the light. She may even call you Aunty Liadrin."

Liadrin snapped out of whatever state of thinking she was in, looking down at the Magister on her arm with glee. "Deal!"

Thalina looked down at the water below them, watching a leaf slowly drift away under the bridge. The whole thing reminding her a little of home. "Good, because I want to go home for a while and spend time with her. Although my mother has always loved having children around, I don't think she signed up to looking after mine the whole time."

Liadrin shot up, forcefully dragging Thalina to her feet as well in her excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

At first Thalina thought Liadrin's eagerness was to return home and get away from Northrend, but then she realised it was because she got to spend more time with Tanadia. "Easy girl, I have to inform Rhonin we are returning home and then get attuned to this city in case we want to return via portal."

After visiting Rhonin and getting attuned to the magical city of Dalaran, Thalina created a portal directly back to her room in Eversong Woods, landing just next to a bed for her to fall in. Liadrin stepped through the portal as well, quickly racing off to find Tanadia. Upon returning with the child in her arms, she sat down on the bed beside Thalina, playing with her daughter's hands in the meantime. "You know, I think she's starting to recognise me. She seems to smile a lot more brightly when I'm around."

Thalina gave her a blank stare, not believing a word she said. "You know that's because you pour little amounts of holy light into her when my back is turned." The look on Liadrin's face was of disbelief. "Oh yes, I know you do that. The delicate glow you leave behind on her gives it away." She took her daughter from Liadrin, cradling her in her arms. "I'm not mad at you, but I don't think that's the way to becoming a priestess."

Liadrin folded her arms at her chest, turning her head away and pouting. "You don't know that."

Thalina looked down at her daughter, taking in her ice blonde hair and all the familiar features on her face. "I never realised how much she looks like him until today." She gave Liadrin a sad smile before looking back down at her daughter. "I guess not having him around would do that."

Liadrin leaned in until both hers and Thalina's shoulders were touching, looking down at Tanadia the whole time. "If she's anything like you two, she will be as brave as she will be beautiful. I can only imagine how many breaths she will take away at first glance." A smile played on the paladin's lips. "And she will be a handful to keep tied down in one place, seeing as you're her mother. But she will also be a quick learner, as you both were."

Tanadia reached for her mothers hand, grabbing hold of two of Thalina's fingers when she lowered down her hand, giggling away when Thalina began to tickle her. "She's going to have the whole world at her feet."


	18. Chapter 18

**Interrogation**

 _Two Months after captivity_

Athrodar got into the routine of guard changes, visits by Archmage Rhonin every four days, even the occasional visit by Clea and Anya on behalf of Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen wanting constant updates on whether or not they had a solution to his problem. He only got a visit by Thalina that one time, the Magister deciding not to return to Dalaran for a while, looking after her child in the meantime.

Today however, he was being visited by Highlord Tirion Fordring, the grand paladin being brought in by Archmage Rhonin on his usual visiting schedule. "We have to stop meeting like this." He began, sitting down on a chair outside Athrodar's cell. "I hear your connection is stronger than it was, is that true?"

Athrodar snorted at the old champion of the light, facing away from him the whole time. "I don't know, Highlord. I enjoy our little talks before you begin to burn me alive. Gives me a sense of how powerful you'll become when I raise you from the dead."

Highlord Fordring smiled at his threat. "You're the exact same as the last time we met, though I hear your connection is not. Sorry to repeat myself but is it stronger than it once was?"

Athrodar sighed, already bored of the conversation between the two of them. "Yes, it's stronger than it once was." He turned around, looking directly at Rhonin. "Are we done here, Archmage? The old man drains me of what little life I have left."

Tirion looked up at Rhonin who in turn nodded at him. "Very well Prince Athrodar, we will leave." They both began to walk away, stopping when they were halfway across the room from him. "However, we aren't here for your amusement." Rhonin span around, holding out his hand towards Athrodar's cell, dropping the barrier that held him in there.

Athrodar watched the arcane barrier drop in front of his eyes. He smirked as his eyes met those of Rhonin's, frost beginning to form around his arm. "Fools." He muttered to himself as he darted towards the pair of them, leaping in the air when he got close enough, raising his ice covered hand, preparing to strike Rhonin first.

Tirion pulled out the legendary sword Ashbringer from behind his back where he had it sheathed, awaiting the Death Knight's strike coming their way. Rhonin held out his hand, purple magic beginning to envelope it before shooting towards Athrodar who landed right in front of them, both hands tied up by the same arcane magic that kept him imprisoned in his cell.

"Now Tirion!" Exclaimed Rhonin, shooting out another tendril of arcane magic that tied Athrodar's legs together, forcing him to his knees as he lost balance. Tirion ran towards the Death Knight, still holding onto his sword Ashbringer, the legendary blade lending him strength in his task. He placed a hand on Athrodar's forehead, pouring holy magic into his head.

Athrodar began to thrash around to the best of his ability, finding that he couldn't move from the spot he was currently in. He roared in defiance, calling out to his master who now began to respond to him, the arcane barrier no longer blocking the connection to each other. He opened his eyes, necromantic magic beginning to light them brighter when he flexed his power. "The last time we met, paladin, I warned you that our next meeting wouldn't be on holy ground." Arthas began to speak through his prince, trying to take control of the situation whilst not being there in person.

"Your minion does not posses the same power as you do, Arthas!" Highlord Tirion responded, taunting him and his Prince. "He will return to fight with the side of the living, I will make sure of it!"

Arthas laughed, still using Athrodar as vessel for the conversation. "If I can't have him, nobody can!" The intensity in Athrodar's eyes died out, only to be replaced by piercing screams and a lot of thrashing about. Tirion let go of him, knowing that what he was doing was causing more harm than good, only to have it followed up by a snowstorm conjured by Athrodar as a protective barrier.

The arcane bindings that held him in place were restricting his powers, causing a build up in excess power around them. Before any of them could react, the bindings snapped, followed by an explosion of arcane magic that sent all three of them flying in different directions. Rhonin got to his feet first, still hearing the deafening screams coming from Athrodar as Arthas was killing him from the inside. He conjured a makeshift arcane barrier around him, cutting off any connection Arthas had to him and silencing his screams quickly.

Rhonin ran to the arcane shell that was around the Death Knight, Highlord Tirion quickly coming to his side. "Now what?"

Rhonin glanced up to the cell Athrodar was in moments ago. "I think we are done for today." He let go of the arcane barrier, Athrodar too weak to do anything. "Let's put him back, we will come up with different plan."

 _Two weeks later_

Athrodar sat up against the back wall of his cell, mulling over the event that almost claimed his life a fortnight ago. He didn't care that Arthas was willing to kill him so Rhonin and Tirion wouldn't turn him against his master, he was thinking about an exit strategy the next time they tried something like this.

The amount of visitors he would normally have in the span of two weeks declined drastically ever since then, only Clea and Anya visiting once to get an update on his condition for Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen looking like the only one who still fought for him, an idea that amused the Prince greatly.

Even the amount of guards posted outside his cell had halved to just the one, even then the guard on duty wouldn't pay much attention to him, constantly leaving his post to do a personal errand or two. Athrodar made sure to take note on when he would leave, giving him a window of opportunity to try something the next time the arcane barrier would drop.

His plan of escape was coming along nicely, the only problem with it was how to get the arcane barrier to drop. He knew if Rhonin and Tirion were to come back, they would suspect an escape plan and will be successful in stopping whatever plan he had brewing. The only way he could see himself escaping would be if he manipulated someone into dropping the barrier, allowing his escape plan to take action, but the lack of visitors as of late had put a halt to that idea the moment he came up with it.

Frustrated with the lack of progress, he threw a loose rock at the arcane barrier, causing it to shimmer on impact, only to have the rock bounce off it like nothing happened. He studied the barrier closely, the shimmer not failing to catch his attention. Knowing he didn't have much time to plan his escape, he quickly scanned the area, not spotting the guard the was sent to watch over him.

He threw the rock at the arcane barrier again, watching it shimmer once more and confirming his suspicions. The barrier was meant to be renewed every week, allowing it to remain strong and keep the inmates inside their respective cells. The guard on duty had been slacking for the past two weeks and had forgotten to strengthen his barrier. This brought a smile to Athrodar's face, his plan of escaping had been relit with this clumsy mistake.

However, before he could try to escape, a portal had opened up in the middle of the room, tripping off an alarm whilst doing so. What walked out the portal was a member of the Blue Dragonflight, followed by more and more members. Soon the whole room had portals opening up with Blue Dragonflight members walking out of them and spreading out around the room. Athrodar watched on with curiosity, waiting to see what these intruders were up to.

Just as the last dragon walked through a portal into the Violet Hold, the spell casters amongst them began to open up each prison cell, dropping the arcane barriers that held the prisoners in place and walking off to the next one. Before too long, all the arcane barriers had dropped, letting loose all the dangerous beasts and humanoids from all corners of Azeroth and beyond. The doors to the Violet Hold burst open, followed by many members of the Kirin Tor rushing through them.

Whilst all the fighting was going on, Athrodar slipped away, past the guards who were fighting the Blue Dragonflight infiltrators and through the back alleys of Dalaran, looking for a way out of the magical city. His mind had connected back to that of Arthas', quickly informing his master on what just happened and his need for an escape plan. Without concentrating on where he was going, he found himself on the edge of a platform looking over what he understood to be Crystalsong Forest.

He looked around, trying to find some semblance on where he had led himself, only finding an empty roost and nothing else. "Stop right there!" Came a voice from behind him. He span around to see who it belonged to, finding Rhonin, Thrall, Sylvanas, Varian and Highlord Bolvar. Sylvanas drew her bow, aiming it at him. "Don't move Athrodar, you'll only make this more difficult on yourself."

Athrodar raised his hands, slowly walking backwards towards the edge of the platform he stood on. "Well, well, well. Looks like your plan to get both Alliance and Horde working together had finally come through, Archmage." He smirked at them all, stopping his movements as his foot found nothing but air underneath it. "What brings you all together like this?"

King Varian Wrynn stepped forward, brandishing his blade. "Your Warchief has convinced us that the Scourge were too big of a threat not to band together as equals in this fight."

Athrodar cackled at them, looking out for a skeletal dragon that had been sent his way by Arthas as a means of escaping. "Now that _is_ an interesting arrangement." He looked at Sylvanas who's bow was still aimed at him. "Come on then, Windrunner. Shoot me and deal a massive blow to the Scourge."

Sylvanas drew her bowstring back further, a shadowy smoke began to spin around the shaft of the arrow and up to the head. "Don't make me do this, my offer still stands, just let us help you."

Athrodar glanced up towards the outline of Icecrown Citadel, noticing a skeletal dragon dive bombing under the floating city of Dalaran, soon to appear underneath him. He stepped back a few inches, only standing on the ledge by his toes. "I'll keep a note of that offer, though I fear I must decline." He looked at Sylvanas directly, giving her the faintest of smiles.

Thrall looked at Rhonin, hoping the Archmage was coming up with a plan. "Rhonin, we need to act quickly."

Rhonin grit his teeth in frustration. "If I do anything, he might fall and we've lost the chance to get him on our side."

Varian began to charge toward Athrodar, raising his sword into the sky. "Better dead than in the hands of the Horde!"

Athrodar threw out a hand, ice shooting out from his palm and freezing the Alliance King's feet to the ground. Just as he began to conjure up another attack for the bound King, Sylvanas shot an arrow into his shoulder, knocking him off balance and over the side of the city.

They all ran to the edge of the city, looking to see where he was, Bolvar breaking the ice around Varian's feet so he could move. They peered over the edge, not finding any sign of him. Varian began to walk off, Bolvar following him close behind. "Good riddance, that's one less major member of the Scourge we have to deal with."

Thrall and Rhonin followed them shortly after, discussing matters about the Blue Dragonflight and how to deal with the group of them inside the city. Sylvanas stood by the edge, looking over the side waiting, hoping to find some sort of sign of him still alive. When she was about to give up, she heard a screech from somewhere underneath the city. She looked over the side the best she could, only to find Crystalsong Forest underneath her.

Turning back around to catch up with Thrall and Rhonin, she saw a skeletal dragon fly away towards Icecrown Citadel. On closer inspection, she saw what appeared to be a rider on top of the beast, one that she figured had to be Athrodar. She was both happy and angry at the same time, happy because he was still alive and would give them another chance to break his connection to Arthas. But also angry because they were now up against another powerful member of the Scourge they had hoped to still be imprisoned when they assaulted the Wrath Gate.

Athrodar looked forward to returning to Icecrown, knowing he had a lot of planning to do for the defence of the Citadel and the surrounding areas. He knew the assault on the Wrath Gate would happen soon, which didn't give him a lot of time to prepare their defences, but he also knew that the Vrykul would be a useful shield against the tide of Horde and Alliance.

As he neared Arthas' domain, he could see the Horde and Alliance encampments outside the Wrath Gate with more and more forces turning up by the minute, a gentle stream of soldiers making their way to their faction strongholds. He didn't dare get close to the ground to inspect further as he noticed artillery had been set up at the foot of the Wrath Gate as well as in their camps. What he needed to do first, was to return to Arthas and ready the defences for the eventual assault.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Crimson Hall**

Athrodar landed at the Frozen Throne, climbing off the Skeletal beast that had been summoned to him by his master. As his boots touched the icy ground, he heard Arthas call for him to go to the Crimson Halls and meet with the Blood-Queen that resides within them. The idea of having to travel to that place sent an unholy chill through his spine, the Darkfallen that reside in the Crimson Halls reminding him of what he could have been if he were to have been slain in the Third War.

Making his way through the Citadel, he came across one of the plague doctors who was working on a new type of abomination. Professor Putricide was his name and Arthas had tasked him with not only perfecting the plague, but to create an airborne version of it whilst also coming up with a new type of abomination beast. He was given a whole wing of the Citadel to work on his experiments known as the Plague Wing where two giant flesh hounds patrolled the corridors.

Walking past the Plague Wing, he shortly arrived at the entrance to the Crimson Hall, the drapes and banners looking eerily like those of Silvermoon, except the halls gave off the idea that they twisted into something that didn't represent their former selves.

Strolling through the Crimson Halls, he could see several Darkfallen training with each other, their armour in various dark reds, yellows and oranges, just like the banners and drapes in the Halls, they gave off a corrupted feel to them.

When he entered the main hall, there were glass coffins holding two San'layn Prince's whilst a third coffin appeared to be empty. Athrodar stood close to them, inspecting the two dead Darkfallen inside, attracting attention from several other Darkfallen.

Not paying attention to those around him, Athrodar looked at the empty glass coffin, noticing it was missing a certain Darkfallen that he despised more than any other. Prince Valanar, the exact same San'layn he met in Utgarde Keep and most frustrating out of the three.

He placed a hand on the empty coffin, smiling to himself when he thought about the idea of that Blood Prince getting what he deserved. Losing himself to the idea of that Prince dying in several different ways, a shadow appeared over him, the figure of a blood elf woman creating it. At first he thought it was just a messenger coming to his attention, but then two wings began to spread out the closer it got.

Athrodar sighed, knowing exactly who had come up behind him and braced himself for the inevitable conversation. Two hands had found either one of his shoulders, followed by a head appearing next to his. "Prince Athrodar. It's lovely to see you again." The voice whispered seductively to him, planting a kiss on his cheek before walking around to stand in front of him, one hand staying on his nearest shoulder, her fingers lightly touching it.

Athrodar removed her hand from his shoulder, letting go of it once it was clear from him. "Lana'thel, I have been told you were looking for me."

She began to walk around him again, snaking both her arms around him from behind and hugging his chest, leaning her whole body against him. "I was informed you had returned to our side, I just wanted to make sure it was true." She span him around, wrapping her wings around the pair of them when he was face to face with her. She placed both her hands on his face, getting on her tiptoes to equal out their height. "I have missed you, my Prince." She planted a kiss on his lips, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

Athrodar tried to pull away which only urged Lana'thel on more, the Blood-Queen pulling herself closer to him, holding him tighter within her embrace. Knowing he had to see this through, he returned her kiss, placing a hand behind her head and grabbing on to her extremely long ponytail and pulling her head back away from his.

She gasped at the action, narrowing her eyes at him whilst giving him a flirtatious smile, the tips of her vampiric fangs coming through her lips. "How did you know I like it rough?" She bit down on an exposed part of his shoulder, some of his armour having been taken from him back in Dalaran. Afterwards, she began to plant kisses up his neck, leading up to his face and planting the last on his lips. As she pulled away, Lana'thel whispered seductively to him once more. "I want you to take me, my Prince. I have longed for your touch ever since you left."

Athrodar glared at her, annoyed that she had only asked for him because she wanted to use him for physical activities that he didn't care to partake in. "If that's all you want from me Lana'thel, I'll be going." He broke free from her grasp, stepping away from her and the three glass coffins he had quickly forgotten about as soon as she arrived. "Unless you need me for something important, Blood-Queen, I'll be preparing the defences of the Citadel."

Lana'thel grabbed his hand, stopping him from walking further. "There is... one thing, my Prince."

Athrodar sighed, knowing it wouldn't be anything serious. "What is it Lana'thel?"

She pulled on him arm, dragging him towards her quickly before quickly kissing him again, pulling away shortly after. She smiled at him, something that was uncommon for members of the Scourge. "I wanted to say goodbye. Stay safe my Prince and return to me in one piece."

Athrodar grabbed her by the throat, giving her a deadly glare. "If you weren't so valuable, I'd have killed you the moment you started this charade of yours."

She flashed her teeth at him, growling at his increased pressure on her throat. "The Master knows of my lust for blood and... other... things. He chose to make me this way, but I get to choose who sates each one."

Athrodar let go of her throat, making a sound of disgust in the meantime. "Don't call me back here unless you have an actual task for me."

Lana'thel raised her hand, aiming to place it on his face but Athrodar held it off. She smirked at him, staring into his eyes with the endless black ones of her own. "Do you not remember the countless nights we spent together when Arthas was still dealing with things at Acherus and the Eastern most part of Lordaeron."

Athrodar narrows his eyes at her, trying to read her face for the truth. "I don't believe you. I have no memory of our time together during Arthas' campaign in the Eastern Plaguelands."

She gave him another smile, slowly moving her hand up to rest on his forehead. She leaned forward, placing her mouth next to his ear, whispering to him. "Let me show you." A dark energy enveloped her hand and began to seep into his mind. Memories began to flash through Athrodar's head, all of which had Lana'thel in them in one way or another.

The first set of memories were of the pair of them in a bed, their naked bodies intertwined in each other with Lana'thel laying on top of him, her wings wrapped around him to hold them together. The Blood-Queen resting her head on his chest, listening to his unbeating heart whilst drawing circles on him with her finger.

The second set of memories were of the pair of them again, this time Athrodar handing over living prisoners to the Blood-Queen for her to feast on. Her thirst for blood was something that needed to be sated and these memories served as a reminder to him of more time they shared together. He would sit by, watching her feast on her victims blood, only to have them share a kiss or two between meals, the taste of blood still on her lips.

The final set of memories were of the pair of them in a dark room, only lit by a couple of candles. As more images of these memories flashed past, their meaning became clear. They were in a torture room, both of them interrogating the living members of Northrend, trying to find out what they knew about the secrets of this continent. Or for their sheer pleasure of torturing the living, either one of them laughing manically when their victim screamed in pain, Lana'thel keeping an arm around him, not wanting to let go of her Prince.

When the images stopped flashing by, he snapped back to reality as his gaze met hers, raising his hand to place on her cheek. She smiled up at him when he closed the gap between them, her darkened eyes meeting his glowing blue ones. "I take it you remember?"

He didn't answer, moving his hands down to her thighs, lifting her up as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He began to kiss up her neck, Lana'thel gasping when he hit a sensitive spot he knew she had, finding her lips and slipping his tongue in her mouth, the Blood-Queen holding him closer as their kiss intensified, wrapping her wings around him for some sort of privacy.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his leather tunic over his head and exposing his scarred chest. She admired his figure at first, taking it all in and comparing it to the last time they were together like this, only noticing a few scars that weren't there before. She traced a finger across the newest one, the second scar created by Frostmourne, looking up at him as her shadowflame engulfed finger traced the fine lines of his scar. "You've returned to me with a small piece missing."

He looked down at her finger on the scar, watching what she was doing. "It was his punishment for me. To teach me the error of my ways and to eliminate any weakness that will cause me to defect again." He took her hand in his, kissing the top of it. "The Master knows best."

Lana'thel leaned her head down onto his shoulder, resting her forehead on him. "He knows that I need you here more than he needs you right now." She shuddered in his arms, feeling weak all of a sudden. "I need to feed, my Prince. It has been too long."

Athrodar placed a thumb on her bottom lip, moving his it down to meet the rest of his hand under her chin, staring at her lips the whole time. "Where are my minions I left to take care of you whilst I was gone?"

She pulled back slightly, their eyes meeting each other. She shook her head when he awaited her answer. "They were called away to the front lines, my best guess is they've been slain by those who now lay siege to our Citadel."

He frowned at her, the idea of his minions being sent away must have only come from the Lich King himself. "What of the torture victims? Do we still have any alive enough to quench your thirst for blood?"

She shook her head again, her fangs becoming more present with every passing minute, growing in size due to her growing hunger. "The last of them died a couple of weeks ago. I had sent some of my Darkfallen to gather more, but they have not returned." She sighed. "I can only guess that they've been killed."

Athrodar tilted her head up when she looked down at his chest, making her lock eyes with him. "I will go and get you your meal." When she tried to look away, not liking his idea, he kissed her lightly on the lips. "I will return with enough of the living for you to quench your thirst ten times over."

She pulled him close, giving him a lingering kiss before unwrapping herself from him. "Stay safe my love." She handed him back his tunic, to which he threw on, shortly followed by her wings unwrapping around him. "I look forward to your return, and to my meal." She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "One that we will share." She lightly bit the tip of his ear before pushing him towards the exit. "I'll be waiting in my chambers."

Athrodar walked backwards, facing Lana'thel the whole time. He bowed to her, giving her a boyish grin. "I will return to you in one piece, my Queen." Lana'thel giggled at him, tracing a line down her chest as he watched on. He gave her a seductive smirk, watching her finger slowly slide down her body. "I'll be coming back for you as well."

Lana'thel licked her lips, slowly walking towards the corridor that led to her chambers. She looked on at the retreating form of Athrodar, smiling to herself at the promise of many things when he came back. As she entered her chambers, she was met by Arthas who was waiting for her. "My King, what a surprise to see you here."

He was staring at a portrait of the Blood-Queen hanging up on a wall, painted in the vampiric form she takes now, not turning around to address her. "How is he? Have you returned the memories you wished to return to him?"

She looked down at the floor, twirling her long braided ponytail in her hand, hiding her smile. "Yes, I have. I thank you again good King for returning him to me."

Arthas did turn around this time, holding the lifeless body of Prince Valanar in his hands. "I have held up my end of the bargain, now it's time for you to do your part." He slung the body towards her, landing directly at her feet. "Return your three Blood-Princes to life, their tasks are not yet finished. The Alliance and Horde will meet them in battle once again, but this time, they will be as one unit, not as individuals."

Lana'thel looked down at Prince Valanar, disgust playing across her face. Not one but all three of her San'layn had failed in their tasks and ended up getting killed. "I will return them to you, my King. I will also show them what happens to those that fail you."

Arthas let out a hollow laugh, walking towards the exit of her chambers. "Make sure they remember their failures in your punishment. I will not be so kind next time if they fail me again."

When he left her chambers, she fell back onto her bed, hugging herself with her arms and wrapping herself up in her giant leathery wings. Her body filling up with glee at the thought of Athrodar returning to her with her meal and the promise of more. So lost in her fantasies with the Prince, she forgot she had called for her followers to take away Prince Valanar and place him in the glass coffin in the room underneath hers.

* * *

Athrodar was creeping along the battlements of the Citadel, peering down towards both Horde and Alliance encampments and looking out for any stragglers amongst either faction to take back to the Crimson Hall. Once he found some, it was easy to get to them and knock them out. The difficult part however was getting them back to Lana'thel without drawing too much attention to himself. He had to create a death gate that would take them to her chambers, but in doing so it would create enough noise to alert nearby guards. He only had one chance to go through with his plan and he would not fail her today.

Glancing around each encampment, he finally found a couple of wandering guards who were off to sort out some personal business far away from their posts. The sky was dark as well as the surroundings the two guards had wandered off to, giving Athrodar the perfect opportunity to capture them. He climbed down from the battlements along the wall of Icecrown, landing on the ground quickly as to not draw attention to himself, quickly darting through the snow and closing on the two guards he aimed to capture.

Slowly sneaking up behind the two guards, he noticed one of them had dropped their shield on the floor, leaving him with a blunt weapon to use against them that would render them unconscious. When he got close enough to them, he realised they were both humans, the optimal living creature for his Queen to feed on.

Before they knew he was there, he swung the shield at the first guard, knocking him out cold instantly. The second guard was alerted to his presence almost immediately, reaching for her sword to defend herself, only finding a shield swinging her way to knock her out as well. Athrodar grabbed the sword the second guard reached for, placing it in its sheath and strapping it to his waist.

He scanned the horizon, looking out for anyone who may have heard their brief but loud struggle and finding nobody was coming their way. He tied their hands together with the rope he used to climb down from the walls of Icecrown, placing them up against a nearby tree whilst he began to summon the death gate that would take him back to the Crimson Hall.

Once his summoning of the death gate had finished, a loud crackling sound emanated through the air. As expected, bells began to ring out from the Alliance encampment followed by the howling of search wolves and shouting of guards. With the death gate opened, he quickly threw both unconscious guards through it one at a time. Once the second guard went through he heard a twig snap behind him, followed by the unsheathing of a blade.

A nimble elf pounced out from the shadows behind him, just missing his throat with her dagger. Athrodar grabbed her arm, quickly jabbing her in the ribs and winding her. She dropped down onto one knee and looked up at him, her starlight eyes glaring at him. "So, you're a Night Elf? Interesting to see you so far away from your tree."

Her glare turned into a surprise, pulling down her mask with her free hand. "Athrodar? What are you... no... not again!"

Athrodar looked into her eyes, a wicked grin playing across his face. "Elaria, it's a pleasure to see you again. I'm afraid you've missed out on a lot since our last meeting."

Elaria tried to free her arm, only to have him tighten his grip on her. "How did you end up fighting for Arthas again. I thought we freed you from him!"

Athrodar quietly laughed, trying to keep his position hidden from those searching for him. "The stories would say I sacrificed myself so the Forsaken and Sin'dorei forces could destroy Naxxramas. I suppose it's true." He looked down at her, not sure if to take her with him or not. "What happened to that human mage of yours? Clara was it?"

Elaria looked down, avoiding his stare. "She... She didn't make it." She grit her teeth glaring at him once again. "If I find out your bastard of a King has raised her into his service, I will be coming for you first."

Athrodar for once didn't know how to feel at this news. He let go of her arm, pushing her to the ground before walking closer to the death gate. "I'd leave this continent whilst you still can. Your assault on the Wrath Gate is only halting the inevitable." He stepped through the gate, not waiting for her to reply to his advice.

As he landed in Lana'thel's chambers, he quickly braced himself for her pounce on him from behind, the Blood-Queen happy to see him return. "You kept your promise." She nuzzled her head into his back, holding onto him tightly. When she looked over to her two new meals, her grip on him loosened slightly. "Was this all you could get?"

He turned around to face her, holding the Blood-Queen against his chest. "Unfortunately yes. Don't worry though, I will get you more soon and with the siege happening any day now, I'm sure there will be plenty of victims to claim as your own."

"Mmm, that's true." She held him tighter again, gasping at something poking her in the ribs. "Is that a sword you're carrying, or are you just happy to see me, my love?"

Athrodar chuckled, pulling away slightly and unstrapping the sword from his waist. "As a matter of fact." He held up the sword for her to see, causing her to giggle at the sight of it.

Her hand slipped down his arm, holding onto his hand and intertwining her fingers with his. "Come, show me what you've got for me this evening." She led him towards the two tied up guards who were slowly waking up. She sat down on her bed, dragging Athrodar down to sit next to her as she inspected the two guards that were laying on the floor in front of them.

Athrodar leaned in to whisper to her. "I think the one on the left is attracted to you." He kissed her on the neck, the Blood-Queen squirming a little as he hit her sensitive spot. "I suggest you leave her for last, let her watch as you feed on her friend."

Lana'thel smirked at the guard on the left, making her uncomfortable as her fangs were more predominant now than they were a few hours ago. She got up from her bed, crouching down in front of the other guard, placing a hand on his face and inspecting him closely. "You never cease to amaze me with your choices, my love."

Athrodar got up from the bed, standing behind the guard Lana'thel was inspecting and dragging him to his feet. He leaned in to the trembling human, whispering in his ear. "Don't worry, it will be over quickly. Although, if you fight it, it will be a painful process."

Lana'thel moved her hands up the guards chest, slowly making her way to his neck. She placed her hands on the guards head, tilting it to the side and exposing his neck. She opened her mouth, sinking her fangs into the guards neck and beginning to drink the blood that began to pour into her mouth. Athrodar watched on with interest, the whole process fascinating him. The Blood-Queen staring at him the whole time, her expertise on feeding not needing her full attention.

Her feeding was distracted by the gentle weeping of the guard who was watching her friend slowly get his life sucked out of him. She glanced down at her, seeing the guard was balled up as tight as she could get, trying to stop herself from shaking in fear. Lana'thel let go of her meal for the time being, crouching down in front of the trembling guard and bringing her into her embrace. "Shh, it's okay. You don't have to watch."

Athrodar looked down at her, frowning at what she was doing. "Well, that's one way to get close to your captors."

Lana'thel stood back up, making her way to her meal again. She raised an eyebrow at him, smirking at his comment whilst blood began to trickle down her chin. "Do I sense a little bit of jealousy?"

Athrodar wiped the blood from her chin with his finger, offering it to her which she took willingly, sucking the blood off of it. "I was just curious as to why you would comfort her."

She smiled at him, shaking her head slightly. "If you would like, I can comfort you later." She placed her fangs back into the guards neck, continuing to feed on him whilst staring at the Prince. A thought crossed her mind during her feeding process, popping her fangs out again to talk. "Maybe I could comfort her later instead, if you're not up to it." She gave him a wry smirk, going back to feeding on her meal.

Athrodar shook his head, holding on to the guard that was getting heavier by the second as his life was being sucked from him, losing his strength to stand up on his own. "Maybe she could take my place. Although I know you miss my touch, so I don't think you would want me to go far."

Lana'thel placed a hand on the guards chest, feeling his heart beat slowing down rapidly. She conjured a small ball of dark magic, placing it at his heart to push out the last seconds of life he was hanging on to, stopping his heart once she was done. She pulled away from his neck, dropping him into Athrodar's arms, which he dropped on the floor where he stood, making his way over to Lana'thel and holding her close to him. She looked down at the cowering human woman, still trying to hide from the two Scourge members. "Perhaps she could join us. Who knows, it could be interesting to have a living member in the bed with us that wouldn't die. Right away at least."

He looked down at the human, slowly smiling at the idea of her joining them. "If that's what my Queen wants, I'll gladly follow her orders."

Lana'thel let go of him, crouching down in front of the human once more, tilting her head up to look at her. "I will give you a chance to.. survive, little one." She glanced up at Athrodar who was watching intently. "Come with us and follow my commands, and maybe you will survive long enough to see the sun once more."

The human looked at the pair of them, figuring it was best to do what Lana'thel said as it was her best chance at surviving. The Blood-Queen began to lead her to bed, slowly followed by Athrodar who stood at the edge of it once the two women had settled down on top of it. He watched the pair of them, leaning down to Lana'thel with a proposition. "I think we should see her fully, perhaps then she will be a little less shy when more... exposed."

Lana'thel sat back on her bed, amused with the idea of her new pet stripping off her clothes for their entertainment. "Go ahead little one, show us your body in all its glory." When she began to take off her armour slowly, Lana'thel grabbed Athrodar's hand and pulled him on to the bed to sit next to her so they could watch their new pet together. When she was fully nude, the Blood-Queen sat up, taking in the full beauty of her figure. "My my, you really do know how to pick them my love." She reached a hand out and touched one of the humans breasts, brushing her thumb over her nipple.

Athrodar sat behind Lana'thel, kissing her ear whilst watching his vampiric lover slowly pull the human towards her. "Let's sate that sexual lust of yours. If she does a good enough job, perhaps you can keep her." He conjured a chain of ice that loosely wrapped around the humans throat, acting as a leash for Lana'thel to pull on. "Something for you to guide her with."

Lana'thel pulled on the chain, dragging the human towards her until she was laying on top of the Blood-Queen, her eyes looking down at Lana'thel's lips briefly before looking back up at her dark, endlessly, black eyes. The Blood-Queen not failing to notice the slight movement of her eyes, lunged forward and locked lips with the human, not waiting for consent as she slipped her tongue into her living pet's mouth.

Athrodar pulled the curtains around the bed shut, giving them as much privacy as he could without moving from the spot he was sat at. He knew how to please Lana'thel and judging by what she was doing to the human at this very moment, it was going to be a very enjoyable time.


	20. Chapter 20

**The Wrathgate**

Athrodar laid there in bed, admiring the half sleeping form of Lana'thel laying on top of him, her giant leathery wings wrapping around the pair of them as their naked bodies held on to each other, not wanting to separate after their long stint of being apart. To their right laid the new human pet Athrodar had brought her, initially meant to be her meal to quench her thirst for blood.

However, after the night she spent with the two undead elves, Lana'thel wanted to keep her alive for further such events in the near future. The sleeping human moaned lightly in her sleep, a small smile played on her face. Lana'thel opened her eyes to look at Athrodar, smirking at him with pride. "I think I may have converted our little pet. I believe she has a taste for the undead."

Athrodar glanced over to the human, envying her ability to sleep. "If there's one thing I have missed, it's the ability to sleep."

Lana'thel frowned at him, trying to understand why he brought it up. "You haven't slept since you were alive?" She thought back on the last time she slept. "I can sleep when I want, though I haven't a need for it."

He looked back at her, kissing her on the forehead. "The only time I have slept is through unconsciousness, even then it was dreamless." The conversation had stopped for a couple of minutes, none of them wanting to speak. Instead they just held on to each other in the silence of the night. "Although, I don't want to sleep, now that I am back in your arms."

Lana'thel smiled at him, nuzzling her head under his chin and in his neck. However, her smile turned sad as she remembered the reason why he left last time. Sighing into his neck and holding him tighter. "That is, until Arthas sends you on another mission." She sat up, straddling his hips and looking down at him, her face showing more sadness in it than before. "I know we have to do as he commands, but he could send others to do the menial tasks he asks of you."

Athrodar sat up, placing a hand on her cheek. "And if who he sends instead of me fails, I would be the one to take punishment." He took her hand and placed it on his newest scar. "This would be a gift in comparison to what he would do."

She traced her finger along the scar, not wanting to think about him getting any more of them, but her imagination betrayed her. "Then again, who better to send than his second in command."

They heard a gasp from the opposite side of the bed, their human pet waking up from her sleep. "Y..You're him? You're the Prince that escaped from Dalaran?"

They both turned to face her, a smirk playing across Athrodar's face. "So, she's awake."

Lana'thel rested her head against his chest, looking at the human all the same. "And she talks at last." She reached out a hand to touch the human who backed away when she got close. "Don't be afraid little one, that tongue of yours has satisfied this Queen enough to allow you to live."

The human stopped moving back, looking at the pair of high ranking Scourge in front of her. "Does... Does that mean I can go?"

Lana'thel let out a genuine laugh, scaring the human a little with how hollow it sounded. "You misunderstand me my dear. Yes I have allowed you to live, but you won't be leaving this room." She smiled at the human. "Not whilst I still have much use for you."

The human looked down, noticing she was still naked. Her eyes widened in alarm and she tried to reach for the bed sheets, only to find that Lana'thel had grabbed her arm to stop her. Athrodar watched on, wondering what the human would do next. "She was a lot less worried about her lack of clothing last night."

Lana'thel pulled at the icy chain still around her neck, bringing the human closer to the pair of them. "Tell me my dear, what's your name?"

The human hesitated at first, not wanting to answer. It was only when Lana'thel pulled on the chain once more, bringing her closer to her shadowflame covered hand, the Blood-Queen losing her patience with her. "It's Gabrielle, b-but most people call me Gabby."

Lana'thel let go of the chain, the shadowflame in her other hand diminishing. "So tell me Gabby, is this your first time with royalty?"

She nodded to her question, looking away from them when she began to talk. "It.. It was a first of many things for me." When Lana'thel placed a hand on her face, she looked at them again, seeing that the Blood-Queen wanted to know more. "It was my first time with elves... as well as with a woman."

Athrodar admired her honesty, stroking the hair of Lana'thel whilst pressing Gabrielle for more information. "I suppose it's your first time with the dead as well." He looked down at the Blood-Queen who's eyes were shut, enjoying his touch on her head. "Either way, you made her happy."

Gabrielle looked down in shame, knowing that her fate was decided for her and that she would have to repeat her actions from last night more than once for her survival. "Y..yes, it was my first time with the dead as well."

Lana'thel pulled on the chain once more, bringing Gabrielle closer until she was directly in front of the two elves. She moved closer to the Gabrielle, locking lips with the human when she was close enough who in turn slipped her tongue in the Blood-Queen's mouth, much to her surprise. When she pulled away from the human, she raised her eyebrows at her. "Well, she doesn't seem that bothered with us being dead my love."

Athrodar watched on as Lana'thel tried a few things with Gabrielle, enjoying the idea of the Blood-Queen being somewhat happy when he wasn't around. When she turned around to ask him a question, his mind was connected to Arthas', the Lich King commanding him to go to the Frozen Throne.

Lana'thel placed a hand on his cheek, snapping him out of his connection to Arthas. When he came back to the present, she knew the reasoning behind his disconnection from the present. "He has asked for you, hasn't he?" When he nodded, she lowered her eyes slightly, looking at his scars. "Go, you don't want to keep him waiting."

Athrodar quickly got dressed into his usual attire, pulling his hood over his head when he was done, turning around to face Lana'thel who pulled him down to the bed, giving him a lingering kiss before letting go. "I'll return to you when I can. Though I cannot promise when that will be."

She got up onto her knees, still on the bed in front of him, equalling out their height. She placed both her hands on his chest, looking him in the eyes. "Just promise to return to me in one piece." Her wings were folded behind her back, giving off the illusion that she was afraid.

Athrodar placed both hands on her waist, pulling her close to him. "It will take a lot to bring me down." He held her close for a few seconds, moving away when Arthas entered his mind again. "He is becoming impatient," He glanced at Gabrielle. "She will keep you company until I get back."

He quickly left her chambers, making his way through the Citadel and towards the icy steps that led him up to the Frozen Throne. As he climbed the many steps of the glacier, he heard a war horn blow from outside the Citadel followed by the faint sound of war cries. He sped up his ascent to the Frozen Throne, now knowing why Arthas had summoned him so hastily.

As he reached the peak of the glacier, he saw Arthas standing by his throne, looking down at the Wrathgate and the approaching armies of the Alliance and Horde. "My King, you ha-."

"Go down there and show them the new powers I have given you." Just as Athrodar turned around to leave, he connected his mind to him once more. _Don't go through the front gate, infiltrate their backlines and expose any weaknesses from within._ Athrodar nodded at his Master's command, quickly rushing down the steps of the Frozen Throne to join the fight that was raging at the Wrathgate.

* * *

The fighting raged around him, he was locked in combat against four soldiers of the Horde, easily avoiding their attacks as he danced around them like they weren't moving, lunging his blades deep into them when he had the opportunity. As he cleared the four soldiers that were brave enough to face him, he added them to his tally on slain soldiers this battle, totalling now at thirty-five.

He was just getting started in this fight, the thirty-five unfortunate souls to have fallen by his hand serving as a warm-up. With every soldier slain, he added them to his ranks that were assaulting the Horde and Alliance forces from behind and rapidly becoming a threat, their commanders sending more and more soldiers back to fight the quickly growing undead force.

When more and more of the living got cut down and reanimated to fight with the Scourge, the commander of the Horde, Kor'kron Warlord Dranosh Saurfang, rallied most of his troops to take the fight to Athrodar, as a desperate attempt to stop the fighting at their flank. The Kor'kron Warlord charged through his own ranks, finding Athrodar who was leading the Scourge on their flank and coming to blows with him as soon as he was in range.

Athrodar stepped back from the giant axe swinging at his head, parrying it the best he can with his twin swords. He held the axe in place between his swords, grunting as the full force of the swing partnered with the unmatched strength of the young orc was pressing down on him. "So... You're Saurfang's boy?"

Dranosh pushed him back a few paces, readying his axe for a second attempt at taking the Prince's life. "You must be this Prince of Death I have heard so much about." He rested his axe on his shoulder, taunting Athrodar to charge at him with his hand. "Your title makes it sound like you've got power, though I don't see it."

Athrodar's eyes flashed with power for a second, the enchants on his swords began to grow brighter as he exerted his power. "Just looking at you I can see how strong you would become as a soldier of the Scourge." Athrodar pounced at the young orc, attempting to lunge his swords into his chest, only to have both swords parried away with a single swing of his axe, followed by a sucker punch from the orc's gauntleted hand.

Dranosh spat on the floor, not amused by the lack of fight this powerful minion of this Scourge is putting up. "Bah, you'll be an easy kill. I don't see what all this fuss was about." He swung his twin bladed axe at Athrodar who rolled away from the blow, getting to his feet and firing an arrow from him unslung bow. The projectile landed in the shoulder of the young orc who brushed it off, snapping it in half and carrying on like nothing happened.

Athrodar smirked at the orc, amused by what he was seeing. "Perhaps you will be a high ranking member of the Scourge, all that power is yours to take, just fall to my sword and it shall be yours." He began to run at the young orc, parrying the axe that was swinging in from the right, lunging forward to bury a blade in Dranosh's chest, only to be met with a booted foot to the stomach.

As Athrodar hit the ground, he looked around for the Scourge he had risen from the fallen soldiers, only to find they had all been slain by the superior Horde soldiers. He got to his knees, looking up at Dranosh who was standing over him, holding on to his axe with both hands in a resting position. The orc grumbled something in orcish, stepping closer to the Prince. "Your little incursion behind our lines has ended rather quickly."

Athrodar chuckled at the orc, finding humor in it all. "Let me guess, you're going to end my life right here, making this a major victory for the Horde?"

Dranosh let out a hearty laugh, hitting Athrodar over the head with the hilt of his weapon, rendering him unconscious. "No, I have been given instructions to take you alive. Instructions from my father and Warchief Thrall." He picked up the limp Prince, throwing him over his shoulder and walking back towards the front lines of the fighting, meeting up with Bolvar Fordragon who led the Alliance forces.

Dranosh dropped Athrodar on the ground, Bolvar watching as he hit the floor, a small smile playing on his face. "It appears the Horde has done Azeroth a great service. Capturing him must have been a difficult task."

The young orc grunted at the human, looking down at Athrodar. "He was easy enough to capture on my own. His lack of strength made it a boring fight." Dranosh unhooked a water bottle from his waist, pouring it over Athrodar's face to wake him up. "Get up, Princeling. I want you awake when we kill your master."

Both Bolvar and Dranosh began to walk closer to the Wrathgate, Athrodar being held down by soldiers of both the Horde and Alliance. Dranosh looked over to Bolvar when they stopped moving, the Highlord taking a deep breath before speaking. "Arthas! The blood of your father, of your people, demands justice! Come forth coward, and answer for your crimes!"

The Wrathgate began to open up slowly, Arthas' presence soon becoming known to all those that appeared outside Icecrown. When the gate was fully open, the Lich King began to walk out, Frostmourne in hand and towering above everyone by at least two feet. "You speak of justice? Of cowardice? I will show you the justice of the grave and the true meaning, of fear!" As his speech ended, countless skeletons began to rise around him, from spell casters to warriors.

Dranosh held his axe in both hands, rage flaring in his eyes. "Enough talk! Let it be finished!" The young orc charged towards Arthas, hoping to catch him off guard and end his life there and then, finishing the war on his doorstep. As he leapt at the Lich King, Arthas swung Frostmourne around to parry the blow, shattering the twin axe in Dranosh's hand and sinking deep into the orcs flesh, killing him instantly.

Athrodar looked on with a sinister smile on his face, knowing that it would not be the last time the Alliance and Horde would see Dranosh. Arthas moved Frostmourne to rest on the orc's chest, draining the soul from his lifeless body. Bolvar watched on in horror. "You will pay... for all the lives you've stolen.. traitor!"

Arthas laughed at the idle threat, knowing the Alliance commander was no match for him. "Boldly stated, but there is nothing you can-" An explosion rang out at the back of the Horde and Alliance army, a green plume of smoke appeared right after. Athrodar broke free from the grips of the distracted soldiers holding him down, taking up arms and slaying them on the spot. As he turned around to see what was happening, he saw the plague Sylvanas was working on. Arthas looking on in shock, trying to find an explanation behind this. "What?"

A hollow laugh came from the cliffs above the fighting, a forsaken dressed in dark robes holding his hands up in the air whilst catapults began to rain down plagued barrels on the army below. "Did you think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven? Behold now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken!"

Arthas glared at the Forsaken pointing towards the army below. "Sylvanas.."

As a volley of barrels rained down on the Alliance and Horde army, the robed Forsaken threw his arms up in the air. "Death to the Scourge! And death to the living!"

Athrodar got to his feet, looking to retreat into the Citadel but was blasted back by one of the barrels exploding in front of him, knocking him into the retreating members of the Horde and Alliance. Bolvar stood still, watching everything they had planned for go to waste as the betrayal from the Forsaken had taken them unawares. "Fall back!" He commanded, watching on as countless lives were taken by the plague.

Arthas was moving towards Athrodar, trying to get his Prince back into the Citadel with him when another barrel exploded in front of him. Arthas let out a frustrated growl, opting to leave Athrodar behind as he realised it was too late for him, walking back into his Citadel. "This... isn't... over!"

Athrodar watched as his King left him out there to die, understanding his choice in the matter. However, he would not be to easily vanquished. He promised Lana'thel he would not fall so easily and he intended to keep his promise. Getting up onto his feet, he weakly began to walk out of the clouds of poison that covered the whole battlefield, stumbling to the ground as he got to a safer area.

He was laying on his back in the snow, looking up into the sky as he tried to recuperate from this sudden betrayal on the Horde that cost thousands of lives on both living and dead whilst almost claiming his own. He sat up after a couple of minutes, looking at the destruction the plague had caused on the battlefield. He sat still, staring at all the dead that lay there and ignoring the approaching assassin coming up from behind him until they were in earshot. "If you're going to do it, do it quickly."

Athrodar was too weak to fight back, the plague weakening him so much he had trouble getting to his feet, instead he just sat there, pulling down his hood and looking up at the sun, closing his eyes and waiting for the knife across his throat. The assassin placed the knife across his throat but found they couldn't go through with it, instead opting to sit down next to him. "I keep telling myself I could do it if I had to.. but I just can't."

Athrodar looked over to the assassin, confirming his suspicions. "I'm sorry about Clara, she was too pure for this war."

Elaria looked at him, not believing his sincerity. "We should have stayed in Booty Bay. She told me we were safest there and that it wasn't our war to fight." A tear ran down her face as she thought back on the memory. "I blame myself for her death."

He looked at her, trying to find words of comfort but found he couldn't. The idea of him comforting the living sickened him deep down, being reanimated twice had made him lose most of his feelings towards them.

She sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I suppose it's not entirely my fault. Though I can't help but feel guilty for dragging her into this war when she didn't want any part of it." She got to her feet, beginning to walk away from him as their conversation was done.

Athrodar began to feel light headed as he tried to stand up, falling backwards on the floor hard and laying there in the snow. The blow to the head from Dranosh followed by the plague that was draining his life had taken its toll on the Prince, weakening him so much he couldn't move any more. He began to cough, black blood splattering across his face.

Elaria saw a group of red dragons flying towards the battlefield, she figured they were trying to clear out the plague that would soon spread to other parts of Northrend. When she heard Athrodar cough again, she glanced back to him, finding his face was covered with even more blood. A part of her told her he was Scourge and deserved to die, whilst another part inside her told her he was family and deserved better than this.

She was torn on what to do, only coming to conclusion to help him when she realised she was part of the Argent Crusade and there was one man who could help him. She ran to him, quickly picking him up and wrapping his arms around her neck, carrying him behind her. "If you try anything, you'll die out here. Let me help you." She whispered to him as she began to move towards the closest Argent Crusade outpost.

Elaria dragged him through Northrend for hours, avoiding pockets of Scourge that walked past the pair of them. Athrodar was still too weak to call for their help, slipping in and out of consciousness throughout the whole journey. When they finally reached the outpost, situated on the edge of Icecrown and Crystalsong Forest, Elaria collapsed to the floor, Athrodar falling on top of her. Two guards came running over to them, dragging Athrodar off her and taking them both to the infirmary.

Upon entering the infirmary, Tirion Fordring was found inside, checking on some of the injured, Athrodar catching the Highlord's attention. "Leave him with me." Tirion commanded, not having to turn around when he spoke to them. "This one is valuable to our cause."


	21. Chapter 21

**Aftermath of the Betrayal**

Athrodar awoke in a bed after what felt like a few hours after arriving at the outpost of the Argent Vanguard. It was run by a group of crusaders that were fighting on the front lines in Icecrown. When he tried to sit up, he found he was chained to the bed, stopping him from moving. Looking down his arms, he could see he was also strapped on to the bed by what looked like leather belts, holding him down more.

He tried to look around the room, noticing injured soldiers sleeping either side of him. As he looked down, he could see a priest looking at a thin book that held information about each patient. He sighed when he recognised the Argent Crusade tabard he was wearing. "Once again, I find myself captured by the light's most devout warriors."

The priest looked up from what he was reading, noticing Athrodar was glaring at him, to be the best of his ability of course. "So, you're awake then." The priest frowned at his own words. "Strange, I didn't think I would be saying that to an undead. After all, I heard you guys don't sleep."

Athrodar narrowed his eyes at him, not being able to do anything else. "We don't."

The priest, who Athrodar found to be Draenei, shut the book and walked over to him, sitting down by his bed to examine the Prince. "How do you feel?"

Athrodar stared at the set of tentacles that hung down from the priests face. "Uncomfortable." He grimaced.

The priest followed his eyeline, looking down at the tentacles on his face and letting out a jolly laugh. "They're accustomed to my kin, young elf. They mean no harm to you."

Athrodar looked away from him, staring at the ceiling of this medical ward he found himself in. "What have you done to me."

Tirion walked through the opening of the tent. "I can explain that." He walked over and stood by Athrodar, the priest making himself scarce, bowing to the Highlord when he got up. Tirion sat down where the priest was sitting seconds before, folding his arms and staring at the side of Athrodar's head. "How do you feel?"

Athrodar scoffed, the same question coming up again. "Why does it matter how I feel? I'm your enemy and you're mine."

Tirion sat forward on his chair, placing a finger on Athrodar's chest, where his unbeating heart lay. "Is that how you feel in here? Or is that something that has been forced into you?"

Athrodar turned his head to face Tirion, glaring at the old paladin. "What is it with the living and feeling things?" Athrodar scanned the rest of Tirion, noticing he was wearing simple rags, akin to those who were taking care of the sick. "What did you do to me?"

Tirion stood up and began to pace around his bed. "When Elaria brought you to us, she looked as bad as you did. Though she quickly recovered, I can't say the same for you."

Athrodar tried to sit up and get the Highlord within his vision, but the straps and chains holding him down restricted his movement entirely. He sighed, giving up on the prospect of moving once again. "What do you mean? How long have I been out?"

Tirion stopped pacing, looking down at the floor momentarily before looking at the Death Knight. "How long do you think you were out?"

Athrodar didn't reply right away, thinking it was a trick question. "I don't know, a couple of hours? Half a day at most."

Tirion stroked his beard, pacing the foot of his bed once more. "I suppose time does pass by quickly when you're sleeping." He muttered to himself. "I'm sorry to tell you this son, but you've been out of it for a good five months." He let that bit of news sink in for a few seconds. "We didn't know how you would react to the light, so we couldn't do much."

Athrodar pushed his question once again to the Highlord, ignoring the amount of time he was sleeping for. "I ask again, what have you done to me?"

Tirion stood by his bed, looking over Athrodar's body and checking for anything out of the usual. "And I ask you again, How do you feel?"

Athrodar glared at the stubborn old man. "I asked you first.

Tirion laughed. "I'll have you know I asked first, you just chose to ignore it."

Athrodar sighed once more, dropping his head into the pillow that lay underneath him. "I don't know how I feel. Useless would be the first word that comes to mind. Lost would be another. Bored, tired, achy.. I feel as if a weight has been lifted from me."

Tirion smiled at the last one, placing a hand on Athrodar's arm, much to his discomfort. Not that he could do anything to stop him, he was tied down in all possible ways. "Then I believe it has worked."

Athrodar closed his eyes, knowing the meaning of those words meant more than they could ever carry. "You've freed me from him again." He opened his eyes again, shaking his head at the impossible fact of it all. "I can't hear his whispers in my head either. When I was in that cell I could still feel him there, but we were unable to communicate, how did you do it?"

Tirion shook his head. "I didn't do anything. None of us did." When Athrodar frowned at him, he knew he needed to explain. "The state you were brought to us in was terrible. You looked like you were hanging on to whatever life you have left by a thread. All we did was put you in this bed and changed your clothing. The priests came in here to say a few prayers and hoped that you would get better on your own."

Athrodar was still frowning at him, not quite piecing together how he was free from Arthas once more. "So what do you mean by 'It has worked' exactly? If you've done nothing, then what has worked?"

Tirion placed a bowl of water In front of Athrodar so he could see what he was on about. "This is a bowl of purified water that we use to heal aches and pains our holy magic just can't fix. We doused the clothes you wear in the water and left it to do its job." He chuckled at the idea. "Frankly, I didn't think it would work one bit, but you were so weak I guess you just needed that little push over the edge to be rid of him."

Athrodar laughed at the simplicity of it all, not believing what he was hearing. His laugh faded quickly however when his memory came back to him, thinking about his Blood-Queen and the state she must be in. The feeling of abandoning her pained him dearly, even if he had no connection to Arthas any more, he still felt something for her.

Tirion noticed his change in mood. "I've seen that look before. It's a woman, isn't it?"

Athrodar smiled a little, his mood changing back to that of sadness. "I suppose so, yes."

Tirion stood up, walking to a nearby window and peering out of it. "Is it that Magister of yours, the one who is the daughter of some Grand Magister... Thalina isn't it?"

Athrodar laid there, images of Thalina flashing through his mind briefly. "I'm afraid not. This one is a lot more complicated than that. I'd rather not talk about it."

Tirion nodded. "I understand. Well, you should get some rest. If you need me, I'll be outside."

Athrodar moved his head up a little. "I've been asleep for five months Highlord, I think I've rested enough." He glanced down to the straps and chains on his arms. "I'd rather start walking about, getting on my feet and doing something."

Tirion weighed up the pros and cons of letting him move about so soon after waking up, coming to the conclusion of letting him out of the bed on the basis that he will keep a close eye on him. "If you do as instructed and cause no trouble for us, I will allow you to roam freely."

Athrodar laid there as Tirion began to unstrap him from the bed, removing the chains after. He sat up when the straps on his chest and arms were off, rubbing his wrists where they held in down tightly. "It feels good to get them off me." He watched Tirion unstrap his legs. "I'll do what I can to aid you up here, though I'm surprised you've been here for as long as you have."

Tirion smiled as the final chain dropped off the bed and on to the floor. "We've been lucky is all I can say. The light has guided us this far and I believe it has delivered you to us to push our lines further in." He got up and stood by Athrodar's bed, offering him a hand up. "Come, let me show you what we have so far."

Athrodar took his hand, getting up off the bed and standing directly in front of Tirion, his several bones clicking after they had not been used for almost half a year. He quickly stretched his limbs, getting ready to take a walk. "Let's go take a walk around your encampment and see what I can do to help out."

* * *

Lana'thel was laying on her bed, cocooned within her wings, not wanting to talk to anyone. She was in a sombre mood for the past three months, finding out that her Prince was taken from her once more shattered what little bit of sanity she had left. In her winged cocoon, she was hugging on to a pillow that smelt faintly like Athrodar.

She had done what Arthas had asked of her, resurrecting her three useless Blood-Princes, but even that had left a sour taste in her mouth when she was done, not turning her attention to any of them when they came to ask for her advice. She gave them one word answers sometimes, but opting to ignore them most of the time.

The first two months he went missing, she sent many of her Darkfallen to find him, spreading across all of Northrend. She knew there was a small chance of finding him, but she took the gamble and wished it would pay off.

The third month was tedious for Arthas, the Lich King opting to ignore her pleads of finding Athrodar, knowing he wasn't far from the Citadel. Her heart was telling her that he was close, but Arthas couldn't communicate with him, something she didn't fully understand why. Her human pet, Gabrielle, kept her distance which began to annoy the Blood-Queen, wanting to find some sort of comfort in not knowing Athrodar's status.

The final two months crept by slowly for the Blood-Queen, ignoring the constant voice in her mind that told her she had to feed. It was something she done with her Prince and the idea of doing it alone felt wrong to her. Eventually though, her thirst for blood got the better of her, turning to the only source of the red liquid that was present to her. Whilst Gabrielle was sleeping, Lana'thel began to feed on her, giving her some sort of mercy by doing it whilst she wasn't awake and alert.

After feeding on Gabrielle, she curled up in a ball on her bed and cocooned herself in her wings, hugging a pillow that smelt faintly like Athrodar, the current state she was in now. When a stray ghoul came wandering into her chamber, she incinerated it on the spot, not caring about why it was sent to her.

She rarely cried in life, so sheding a few tears every now and then when she thought about him terrified her, the shock stopping more tears from falling. She rocked back and forth on her bed, whispering his name in an attempt to call him back, not that it would change the current situation he was in. Although nobody apart from the Argent Crusader's located at the Argent Vanguard knew his whereabouts.

* * *

Athrodar and Tirion were strolling around the camp side by side, the Highlord sharing recent news to catch Athrodar up on events that has happened. Athrodar stopped walking suddenly, rubbing his face in thought. "So Grand Apothecary Putress along with that Dreadlord Varimathras betrayed Sylvanas from within, making it look like the Forsaken had betrayed the Horde, taking Undercity from her?"

Tirion nodded. "Precisely that, yes." Athrodar fell into step with him once again. "Where was I? Oh yes. So Sylvanas along with Thrall and several members of the Horde assaulted the city from the courtyard, taking out demons and abominations alike. The Alliance were there as well, King Varian along with Jaina Proudmoore and a handful of Alliance soldiers assaulted the city from the sewers, slaying the Grand Apothecary."

"And what of the Dreadlord?"

"He found his end by the hands of the Horde, sending him back to the twisting nether." Tirion stopped walking, standing upon the makeshift wall around the outside of their encampment, leaning over the parapet to watch the few Scourge dotted around the glaciers in front of them. "The Alliance met up with them shortly after and went at each other's throats almost instantly. Only Lady Proudmoore had the sense to stop them and teleport the King away."

Athrodar stood next to him, leaning over the parapet and scanning the area as well. "I was there at the Wrathgate, both sides lost a lot of good men." He sighed in the silence of the place. "Even still, they find time to fight amongst themselves."

Tirion looked around at his small group of crusader's. "We of the Argent Crusade know our task on this continent, don't you worry. We have made it this far and we will see it through till the end."

Athrodar looked around as well, noticing small pockets of crusader's dotted here and there. "No offence Highlord, but I think you've made it this far because the Lich King doesn't see you as much of a threat." He glanced over to Tirion, seeing his words had stung a little. "But I think we can turn that around. The Knight's of the Ebon Blade are situated nearby, if they've stuck to their plans. We can also send missives to all corners of Azeroth and ask for recruits to join our fight."

Tirion slowly nodded. "Yes..." He began to walk to his tent, Athrodar following closely behind. "But will they join us? After the Wrathgate, morale would surely be low in either faction, what makes you think they will join?"

Athrodar placed a hand on the Highlord's shoulder. "Trust me Tirion, those who still have a fire burning inside them will come forth to take the fight to Arthas. He's the greatest tyrant our world has seen in a long time, and with you leading our final campaign, I believe it will be enough."

Tirion began to scribble down some words on the piece of parchment in front of him, writing down three sets of names. Darion Mograine, his own and that of Athrodar's. "What do you say, do you wish to help lead in the final assault against Arthas? Seeing two Highlord's and a powerful former member of the Scourge leading the fight would bring in more people."

Athrodar glanced down at the parchment, quickly reading through its contents. "No. I don't want it to be known I am here. The less the Scourge know about my whereabouts, the better chance we have at surprising them when it's most needed."

Tirion began to write on a new piece of parchment, excluding Athrodar's name from the bottom of it, signing it off with a signature and a wax stamp. "We need to meet up with Highlord Mograine before we start anything. Do you know roughly where he would be?"

Athrodar stroked his chin, thinking on the question. "I reckon he has returned to Acherus more than anything, probably planning out some form of attack, or waiting for the perfect time to assault a Scourge outpost." Athrodar took the missive from Tirion, folding it up and placing it in his pocket. "I will go to Acherus and see if he is there."

Tirion stood up, shaking his hand. "Well, good luck to you Athrodar and stay safe." He pulled his hand, dragging the former Prince closer. "I don't fully trust you though, so take a couple of my crusader's with you and leave your weapons behind. You know, just to be sure you're on our side."

Athrodar slowly nodded his head, not breaking eye contact with the Highlord. "I understand your wariness Tirion, but I will not let you down."

Tirion let go of his hand, watching Athrodar leave the tent. He wanted to trust the Death Knight, knowing that if he was truly on their side, this war would be in their favour, the two major factions not believing they could do anything to the Lich King. Now was their time to prove them wrong.


	22. Chapter 22

**Next Step Discussions**

Acherus was still floating above the Eastern Plaguelands, the Ebon Blade recruiting more Death Knights by the day, training them for the war against Arthas. Darion Mograine was standing on the ledge that oversaw all of the Eastern Plaguelands, planning his next step in the campaign in solitude, not wanting any distractions.

So when Athrodar appeared in the middle of the floating fortress followed by shouting and cursing at the former Prince, the Highlord wasn't best pleased with all the commotion, storming through Acherus to find the source of this interruption, finding Athrodar on his knees along with the two crusader's he arrived with. "What is the meaning of this!"

Athrodar reached into his pocket, slowly pulling out the missive Tirion had drawn up, pausing his movements every few seconds when the sword around his throat edged closer. "A message from Tirion." He held out the folded parchment, waiting for Darion to take it from him. "A call for new recruits in this campaign, one that he wishes to lead with you, equally."

Darion snatched the parchment out of his hand, watching Athrodar closely as he began to unfold it. Scanning through the missive quickly, handing it back to Athrodar when he was done. "So Tirion wants to combine our forces and push through the endless Scourge in Icecrown?"

Athrodar tried to get up onto his feet, only to be pushed back down by the many Death Knights around him. "Yes, he believes now is the time to strike. After what happened at the Wrathgate and the Horde and Alliance pulling out most of their forces, this gives us the perfect time to go on the offensive."

Darion pulled Athrodar up onto his feet, narrowing his eyes at the former Prince. "This letter speaks of both the Argent Crusade and the Ebon Blade." Athrodar nodded at his statement. "And you're fighting with us?" Athrodar nodded again, guessing he was just getting an understanding of what was happening. "So why aren't you mentioned at all? Surely if you were to fight with us, the Alliance and Horde should know about it."

"I want as little knowledge of my whereabouts as possible. I don't want the Scourge to know who I fighting for before we've even started. If that missive got into the wrong hands, our planning will be for nothing. Our key strategy is to keep me anonymous to the Scourge, tricking them into thinking we're weaker than we actually are."

Darion thought on the plan, the whole idea of Athrodar keeping concealed from the enemy would be a good idea on paper, but the execution of it is a lot more difficult. "It would prove to be a better plan than any I have come up with. I will leave to meet with Tirion in a day or two, where we will discuss strategy and a way forward."

Athrodar bowed his head to Darion. "I will inform him of your decision and when you intend to arrive." He began to summon a Death Gate that would take him back to Tirion, glancing back at Darion with a smirk on his face. "It's good to see you again Highlord."

When the gate materialised, Darion gave Athrodar a quick pat on the back. "You too Athrodar, you too." He watched as the former Prince walked through the gate, along with the two Crusader's. Darion turned around to face his Lieutenants and Captains. "We have a couple of days to prepare for the journey to Northrend. First we need ships and a place to dock, both of these can be aided by Sylvanas." He sighed. "Though I reckon it will be difficult given recent events."

* * *

Sylvanas sat on her throne in the royal quarter of the Undercity, digging her nails into the arm rests, silently cursing herself for being so distracted by Athrodar she couldn't see two of her close advisors were plotting to overthrow her. Her group of advisors had become a lot smaller, only consisting of those closest to her, most of which were still members of living factions. Thrall had placed Kor'kron in Undercity to keep an eye of things and make sure the incident at the Wrathgate doesn't happen again.

Her mood had been sour ever since the retaking of Undercity, her Forsaken were avoiding her unless it was a matter that they deemed too serious to ignore. Clea and Anya were both keeping their behaviour strictly professional around their Queen, not wanting to be on the receiving end of any punishment she had brewing in her mind.

The doors to the Royal Quarter slammed open, causing a massive bang. Sylvanas shooting up from her throne in anger. "Clea! Watch what you're doing you insolent girl!"

Clea's pace slowed down, bowing to her Queen in apology, her body shaking a little out of fear. "S-sorry my Lady, it's just... You have some visitors."

Sylvanas' glare shot to the open doors, finding nobody to be walking through, turning her gaze back to Clea. "Your visitors seem to be lacking a body. Do you dare lie to me!?"

Clea shook her head profusely, spinning around on her heel to face the twin sets of doors. "It's the Knight's of the Ebon Blade, my Lady. They have come with some news and a proposition in mind." She stared at the doors, hoping they would appear quickly. When they did walk through the set of doors, she felt herself begin to calm down.

Sylvanas glared at the death knight leading the entourage of Ebon Blade members. "Highlord Mograine, I didn't think I would see you again. What's this news you bring me, with the talks of a proposition in mind?"

Darion stood at the foot of the dais that held her throne, kneeling down before her along with his guards. "Lady Sylvanas, I do in fact come with news and you will find it to be good." He glanced up at her, finding her gaze to still be that of anger.

The sound of disgust played in her throat at his very words. "There is no such thing as good news, only bad news disguising itself to be good until it's secret is discovered." She sat back down in her throne, propping her head up with her hand, gesturing with her other one for him to continue.

Darion stood up, climbing the steps to her throne and stopping a couple paces in front of her. "The Argent Crusade and the Knight's of the Ebon Blade are banding together in a final campaign against Arthas. With our combined might, we believe we can break through his lines and lay siege to his Citadel within the very lands of Icecrown."

Sylvanas stared at him for a minute, listening to his words and trying to take them seriously. "You and that paladin believe you can assault the Lich King's fortress? What sort of joke is this?"

Darion remained neutral, his face showing he was serious in his claim. "I had received word just yesterday that Highlord Fordring has got a plan of action that may just see this war turn in our favour once more."

Sylvanas sat back in her throne, shaking her head at the Death Knight. "So you have not even spoken to him, yet you claim you can win this war?" She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And why do you tell me this? Do you need recruits, ships, weaponry or do you want me to wish you good luck on your little campaign?"

Darion placed both hands behind his back, nodding slightly as he began to speak. "Actually, that's also why we're here. We need ships and a safe place to make port once we arrive back at Northrend."

Sylvanas looked over to Clea, who gave her a slight nod, turning have back to Darion. "Fine, you can take my ships and port at the same location the first time you asked for them." She looked down at her hand, tapping her index finger on the throne. "You say you received word yesterday, I take it through a messenger?"

"Precisely that, yes." He tilted his head slightly. "Why?"

Her finger stopped tapping, flattening out her hand and pushing herself up from the throne she sat in, pacing in front of it instead "Do you trust this messenger?"

Darion stood still, watching Sylvanas walk up and down. "If it was a normal messenger, sure."

She stopped walking, turning to face him. "What do you mean? Who gave you the message?"

Darion smirked at her which made her blood boil slightly, knowing he was hiding something important. "The messenger goes by many names and titles, most of which you're familiar with. Farstrider, Assassin, Death Knight, Prince... Death Ranger..."

Her eyes widened a little, stepping closer to Darion. "Are you certain it was him? Are you certain he is free from Arthas?"

Darion stared at her, the seriousness in his face remained. "I am certain it was him, yes. Though whether or not he is truly on our side once more, I cannot say. He appeared at Acherus with two members of the Argent Crusade, so I would assume he is. But someone who was willing to give himself over to Arthas so freely doesn't sit well in my books."

Sylvanas mulled over his words, taking them into consideration when thinking upon her next plan of action. "I will come with you, I need to see him for myself before I can believe it."

When Sylvanas began to leave her throne room, Darion placed his arm in front of her, cutting her off from where she was heading. "If it's all the same to you, Lady Sylvanas, I would prefer it if you stayed here. The enemy doesn't know we have him, giving us the illusion we're weaker than we appear. Your presence there will surely give it away."

She glared at him. "You would ban me from setting foot in Northrend? For how long?"

Darion remained stoic as always, not flinching under her glare. "Just until Athrodar shows his hand, then we will call upon the Alliance and Horde to help us with the final push."

Sylvanas exchanged looks with him, the Banshee Queen giving in first, turning around and sitting back in her throne. "Fine, take my ships and go. But keep me updated, I will want to be the first one there."

Darion began to leave with his Death Knights, turning around to face her when he was at the doors. "I will keep you updated along with everyone else, and I thank you for your generosity."

* * *

As Athrodar landed back in the Argent Crusade encampment, he began to seek out Tirion, something crossing his mind when he looked at the members of the Argent Crusade going about their business. He found Tirion in no time, the Paladin sitting down by a campfire, reading a book about Draenei cooking and their recipes. He looked up at Athrodar when he came into his eyeline. "You don't eat, do you?"

Athrodar glanced down at the cover of the book, smiling a little when he understood why the question was asked. "I'm afraid not, Highlord. One of my many curses I suppose."

Tirion closed the book, placing it down by his side. "Shame, I would have asked you to taste some of this." He pointed to the cooking pot that was over the fire. "Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"Two things." He began, taking a seat opposite the Highlord. "One, Darion has agreed to meet with you, he leaves soon to come here. I think he also agrees to working together, but I'm sure he will fill you in on the details when he arrives."

Tirion clapped his hands together. "Excellent, I look forward to his arrival. And the other thing?"

"Yes, well." Athrodar looked around, checking if they were alone. "I have... had this friend who joined the Argent Crusade some years back. I was just coming to ask if you know of him and his whereabouts."

Tirion leaned back on the log behind him, stretching out his back, something he did a lot in his older years. "We aren't a big organisation, so I suppose I would know of him. What's his name?"

"His name is Vilandil Dawnstrider, son to Telramar Dawnstrider." Athrodar watched for his reaction, finding it to remain impassive until he spoke.

"Ah, yes. I know him." He sighed, looking down at the logs stoking the fire. "I'm afraid we lost him two months ago. His patrol went out one night, never to be seen again. That is, until a search party found their remains." He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "They were ambushed from what we could tell, their bodies half eaten by the Scourge. I'm sorry son."

Athrodar closed his eyes, yet another friend lost to this war. "Damn... Does his family know at least?"

Tirion nodded, looking back at Athrodar through the smoke and embers of the fire. "Aye, Elaria opted to tell them, being a family friend and all. I'm sorry lad, I should have told you sooner."

Athrodar waved off his apology. "No, I suppose if I didn't ask, I would have been told later anyway." He got up, extending a hand over to Tirion, who took it and shook firmly. "Thank you for telling me Highlord." He glanced down at the pot, smelling the food. "It smells like it's done by the way."

Tirion frowned at him. "Huh?" When Athrodar glanced down at the pot again, he realised what he meant. "Oh! Thank you, that could have gone badly."

Athrodar chuckled as Tirion fumbled with the lid of the pot. "Enjoy your food Tirion." He walked off into the night, finding a quiet area of the camp and sitting down in the shadows, pulling out a knife and rolling up his sleeve. He looked at his arm for a few seconds, noticing a small cut about an inch and a half long on it. He placed his knife next to it and drew another line, matching the length of the first, rolling his sleeve back down when he was finished, getting up onto his feet and walking off to take up the night shift guard duty.


	23. Chapter 23

**New Recruits**

Athrodar sat on the wall that circled the encampment, his legs hanging off over the edge whilst he began to whittle down several pieces of wood to make arrow shafts. The simple act was something he used to do back when he was on patrol in Eversong woods what felt like a lifetime ago to him now. It also allowed him to pass time whilst on night watch, looking out for approaching recruits and members of the Scourge.

He wore all dark leathers, his hood covering most of his head whilst having a cloth bandanna pulled up to cover his mouth and nose, only his cerulean blue eyes were visible to those who looked at him. They were a distraction in the dark however, his ability to blend into the night being stripped away from him by the Lich King, but his senses were enhanced exponentially, specifically his sight.

He didn't feel the harsh winds and freezing temperatures of Icecrown either, unlike the human that sat next to him, wrapped up in furs to keep himself warm, the two of them quickly coming acquainted with each other having spent three consecutive stints on night watch. The crusader sat on a stool, looking over the wall and towards where the Scourge were situated, shivering under the furs. "I tell you what, I am glad you are on our side."

Athrodar focused on the next wooden branch, whittling it down for more arrow shafts. "How come? Many people would rather see me dead for even mentioning I was a former Prince of the Scourge."

The Crusader tried to laugh, though his shivering made it sound broken. "As long as you're on our side, that's all that matters."

Athrodar glanced down to him, smirking at his honesty. "Then you're one of the rare few who believe so. Thanks for that Marcus, at least somebody will have my back if we're attacked."

Marcus wrapped his many layers of fur tighter around himself, hoping it would stop his shaking. "As long as you have mine, I'm happy to have yours."

Athrodar laughed, concentrating on his knife as it slid across the piece of wood he was holding, carving strands off it in a single long motion. "Don't you worry, I'll-" His ear twitched, something in the distance catching his attention. He looked up to where he heard it coming from.

Marcus got up from his stool, peering off into the direction Athrodar was looking. "What is it? What do you see?"

Athrodar narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the four figures that were walking closer to them. "It looks like a small group of people, but I'm not sure if they're with us or against us."

Marcus moved his hand up to his forehead, blocking off the falling snow from landing in his eyes, trying his best to clear his vision. "Do you think we can take them if they pose a threat?"

Athrodar shook his head. "I don't think they're going to pose a threat, I can make out two of them to be Tauren. Unless the Scourge have begun recruiting that noble race, I don't think they're against us."

"I don't know, they are using you Sin'dorei. Who's to say they're not Death Knights?"

"Unless you can see two blue orbs, then it's most likely not a Death Knight." Athrodar pointed to his eyes, Marcus nodding once he understood what he meant. "No, I think they're members of the Horde coming to us as recruits."

Marcus sat back down on his stool, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "At least they're Tauren, they know a thing or two about herbs and can make a good meal or two from nothing, it will be the best meal we've had in weeks." He looked over to Athrodar, only to be met with a blank face. "Right, I forgot you dead guys don't eat."

Athrodar climbed down off the wall, landing in a blanket of snow that was piling up underneath them. He began to walk towards them, still holding onto the piece of wood he was whittling down. When he neared the group, led by the two Tauren, he noticed what the other races were. A Draenei, two Night Elves and a Sin'dorei, the latter slowing down his pace until he stopped walking, noticing the slender frame of the Sin'dorei to be that of a woman's.

He studied her closely, knowing it could be the only Sin'dorei he knew to willingly come out here. He remembered their last meeting not going so well, but what he told her was true, he did still love her before dying a second time. That feeling towards her was lost when he was brought back to life for a second time at the Frozen Throne, Lana'thel being the one elf he had any feelings towards now.

When Athrodar got close enough to shake their hands, he extended one out, waiting for one of them to take it. When none of them did, he quickly retreated his hand, wrapping his cloak around him. "Come with me, Highlord Tirion will want to meet you." He began to walk towards the encampment, the arriving group not following him immediately. "Hurry now, we have a lot to go over."

They quickly fell into step behind him, Thalina keeping her distance from him, not fully certain whether or not it was Athrodar. One of the Tauren's slowed down to match her pace, looking down at her in curiosity. "What's the matter little one? You look like you've got something on your mind."

She watched the elf leading them closely, noticing he was wearing all black and keeping himself secluded in his armour. "This is meant to be the Argent Crusade, right? Because it looks like we're being led by someone who has been forsaken by the light." She gazed up to her travelling companion. "What's your take on this Lumu?"

Lumu pulled lightly on one of his braids hanging down from his chin. "I can't begin to say, but I do have a feeling he is here for the same reason we are."

Thalina shivered, pulling her cloak around her for some warmth. "Well, the sooner we get into camp, the sooner I can get warm." He glanced over to Lumu. "If only there was a druid nearby who could shapeshift into something that could get me there faster."

Lumu handed her his staff, smiling down at the Magister. "I was waiting to see how long it would take you to ask me again." He began to transform into a bear, Thalina watching on with excitement, the whole process amazed her. When he was fully shapeshifted, he stood next to her, waiting for her to climb onto his back before setting off towards the encampment.

The other Tauren shifted into a stag whilst the two Night Elves shifted into panthers, all three running off after Lumu and Thalina, racing past Athrodar and the Draenei that accompanied them. The former Prince glanced over at the remaining traveller, looking to start some sort of conversation. "Apart from the Sin'dorei, I'm guessing they're all from the Cenarion Circle?"

The Draenei chuckled, falling into place next to Athrodar. "That is correct. It's been an interesting journey all the way from Borean Tundra, though we have made good time."

Athrodar looked him up and down, having the feeling he was hiding something. "This is where you reveal some sort of shapeshifting of your own, isn't it?"

The Draenei smiled at him. "It appears you have read my mind. I am a shaman of Exodar and yes, I can take the form of a spirit wolf."

Athrodar shook his head, feeling a little left out though he wouldn't tell anyone that. "You don't want to chase after them? There's no need to stay with me if they've all gone."

The Draenei slapped him on the back in a friendly gesture, harder than he meant to. "Nonsense, it would be rude of me to leave you after you ventured out here to collect us." The shaman studied his armour, noticing he was concealing everything but his eyes. "Why do you cover yourself like this? I didn't think the Argent Crusade employed assassins?"

Athrodar pulled down his bandanna, exposing his nose and mouth. "I do not work for the Argent Crusade, the light had forsaken me long ago, so I owe it no allegiance."

The Draenei rubbed his chin, avoiding the small tentacles that hung there. "Perhaps the Ebon Blade then? Though you don't seem to be wearing the usual armour they equip, though your eyes certainly match that of a Death Knight."

"I have served the Ebon Blade before, yes. Though I don't align myself with them either." He pulled his bandanna up over his mouth and nose again. "I am in no-one's service but my own, master shaman. And it would be wise of you to not forget that."

The Draenei looked at him with saddened eyes, feeling sorry for this former child of the sunwell. "You are a lost spirit that just needs to find his way."

Athrodar let out a quiet chuckle. "I am not lost master shaman. I know precisely where I am going and that is not into the hands of those that seek power, for I have seen what it has done to this world."

The Draenei sighed. "I know all too well the destruction from those who seek power. This is not my first world I have inhabited, but I hope it is my last."

Athrodar glanced over to the Draenei, noticing he was lost in the memories of his scarred past. "I am sorry if I have brought up anything."

The Draenei waved off his apology. "It is fine, I believe we must remember those we have lost and honour them every day by fighting for what we believe in."

All their talking had distracted Athrodar and before he knew it, they had arrived in the encampment, the four druids and Thalina talking to Highlord Tirion. The Draenei that had accompanied Athrodar shook his hand, thanking him for the brief discussion. The former Prince made his way back to his post, finding Marcus was asleep, his head resting on the cold stone wall. The snowstorm was picking up, making it harder for him to see approaching recruits from the south.

Elaria was returning after her patrol, walking past Athrodar before really noticing he was there. She only really saw him when he coughed to get her attention. "Something in your throat?"

Athrodar gave her a sarcastic laugh. "Funny." He extended his hand out, waiting for her to take it. "I just wanted to say thank you for saving me and bringing me here."

She glanced down at his hand, slowly extending hers out to shake it. "Is this your way of saying everything is cool between us, even though I did try to kill you twice not too long ago."

He pulled her arm, bringing her in for a friendly hug. "Everything is fine." He closed his eyes, remembering what she told him about Clara. "I am truly sorry for your loss, though you shouldn't blame yourself." He glanced over to where Tirion was talking to the new recruits. "Also, Thal is here."

Elaria pulled away, looking around the encampment trying to find her. "Does she know you're here?"

Athrodar shrugged. "I don't know, but I think she suspects that I am here, yes. Who else would be a Death Knight in full leather armour carrying a bow?" He smirked at her as she continued to search for Thalina. "She's talking to Tirion along with the new recruits if you want to say hello." Elaria didn't wait, quickly shooting off into the distance and towards Tirion. Athrodar went back to his post, leaning up against the wall and staring at the fire that was keeping Marcus warm, thinking back to his time as a ranger of Silvermoon.

* * *

The next week was full of gruelling exercises for the new comers. They were tasked with training with each other, following their instructors commands on what they were training on specific days. The Ebon Blade arrived on the second day, quickly catching up with the rest of the recruits who were being trained by Tirion and Darion together, either one taking it turns with what new course or exercise was being taught.

Athrodar watched on from a distance, taking joy in watching the magic users amongst them struggle with using weapons whilst those who were accustomed to weapons were pushing each other to see who was the best. He also felt a bit of pride as he watched Thalina disarm several of her companions in training, knowing he had a hand in her swordplay when he was training her in Eversong Woods close to two years ago now.

Elaria sat down next to him, bowl of soup in her hand. "Do you ever stop eating?"

She spooned soup into her mouth, wiping away a few droplets that trickled down her chin. "I can't, I'm always hungry, something to do with a fast acting stomach, at least that's what the druids back on Teldrassil say." She looked down at the trainee's. "How's our girl doing?"

Athrodar narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" She responded with a mouthful of food.

He grimaced at her, turning away when more of her meal began to roll down her face. "Don't assume she's still our girl. She may be the mother of my daughter, who I might add I have never met, but that doesn't mean she is my girl any more."

Elaria placed her bowl down next to her, turning her whole body around to face him. "You know, we've been through something like this before, back in Booty Bay. And again in Silvermoon."

Athrodar shook his head. "No, this time it's different." He faced away from the group of recruits, looking directly at Elaria. "I don't feel anything towards her, not any more. Unlike back in Booty Bay, I remember who she is and what she meant to me."

Elaria glanced over to the recruits, noticing Thalina was watching them carefully. "So, what? You're just going to ignore her? pretend she doesn't even exist, pretend that you've never met?"

Athrodar smiled, knowing what she said was a little extreme. "No, I wouldn't go that far. I may not have spoken to her yet, but that doesn't mean I'm ignoring her. I just have other things to do." He was lying, knowing his schedule was about as empty as it was in this very moment. He was however distracted by his feelings towards another, one that he couldn't see no matter how much it pained him to be apart from her.

Elaria moved her head into his line of sight when she noticed he had gazed off into the distance, specifically towards the Citadel that loomed over Icecrown. "There's something else on your mind. Or should I say, someone else." She glanced up to the Citadel, taking in its dark beauty. "I didn't think Arthas would allow members of the Scourge to feel such things."

Athrodar shot her a glare, not wanting to discuss this. "He offered us our deepest desires, it just so happened to be each other. A great gift for loyal service."

Elaria snorted, followed by a loud laugh that caught the attention of the recruits and Tirion. "Such a gift, only to be repaid with you joining our side. Twice." She leaned closer to him. "So, what did the Prince of Death bag himself whilst under the influence of Arthas? I presume you could have free range of any Scourge member that was... together enough for such a thing."

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her. "Are we really having this discussion?"

Elaria nudged his arm, egging him on to tell her. "Come on, was she unique? A one in a million girl, there's none other like her."

He sighed, knowing she would carry on until he said something. "She was what every Prince of Death has wanted."

She looked at him with surprise. "She was a Princess of Death? I didn't think there was such a thing."

It was Athrodar's turn to laugh. "No, there isn't. She holds the title of Blood-Queen." He looked towards the Citadel again, closing his eyes briefly and smiling to himself when he thought back on his intimate times with the Blood-Queen. "She may be a million miles away, but I still love her."

Elaria leaned closer to him once again. "You sound exactly like Thalina when she heard you were still alive.. somewhat." She glanced over to the Magister who was beginning to walk over to them. "She doesn't know, does she?"

Athrodar looked over to Thalina, sighing when he realised she was coming their way. "No, she doesn't. I may be a cold, ruthless killer who was once a member of the Scourge, but I don't want to cause her more pain than I already have." He stood up, looking down at Elaria. "If you want to tell her, be my guest. I have a patrol scheduled right about now."

Elaria watched him leave with disappointment, knowing he had not only lied to her about the patrol, but also left as to avoid Thalina. When the Magister made it over to her, she looked tired, laying down on the snow and gazing into the sky. "I should have known what I had signed up for. This training is making everything sore." She glanced over to Elaria who was watching her lay there, a certain sadness in her eyes. "What is it?"

She sighed, laying down next to the Magister. "It's about Athrodar, there's something you should know."


	24. Chapter 24

**A Note**

New recruits were joining every week, Thalina's group having passed basic training after a month and were off on their first patrol into Icecrown led by an unwilling Athrodar. However, not everything went to plan as he ventured deeper into Icecrown than what he was told to do, entering the town of Scourgeholm he knew to be situated past the mountain peaks the Argent Crusade was hiding behind.

When he tried to get a closer look at the Scourge outpost, they were ambushed by several Nerubians and skeletal mages. Despite the warnings from members of the group he was leading, he charged into battle instead of retreating back, cutting down several members of the Scourge before they could even cast a spell.

The rest of his group however weren't fairing as well as him, several of them hesitating to even jump into the fray. Thalina pushed several of the skeletal mages out the way, interrupting their spells whilst Lumu transformed into a bear, tackling a giant Nerubian Pit Lord that was bounding towards the weaker members of their group.

Athrodar watched as members of his group were hesitant to even cast a single spell, not moving from where they stood as the more brave members of their group were slowly getting cut down by the relentless onslaught of the Scourge. "Hey! Don't just stand there and watch, attack them before we lose more people!" Athrodar pointed a sword towards them, fury in his eyes as he watched them continue to remain planted to the ground.

As quickly as the fighting started, it ended just as fast with both sides sustaining casualties, the Scourge more so than the living. Those that had survived the ambush, regrouped to get a head count to find out how many they had lost. Thalina sighed once she was done counting. "Five.. Damn it." Athrodar was the last to arrive, pulling Thalina away from the group. "What is it?"

"You're going to take charge of this group." He scanned the horizon the whole time, avoiding eye contact with her.

She watched him closely, not failing to notice he was avoiding a single glance at her. "Are you sure about that Captain? What about you?"

The use of his title made him glance down at her quickly. It was given to him when Tirion thought it necessary of him to lead groups of Crusader's into Icecrown. He turned his gaze back to the horizon. "I'm going to scout ahead, see if there are any high ranking Scourge nearby."

She glanced back to the rest of their group, noticing they were talking amongst themselves whilst their healers were closing cuts and wounds they had sustained. "Highlord Tirion told us to not go too far from the camp, not until we were ready to bring the fight the to Scourge." She looked back at Athrodar, noticing he was watching them as well.

He glanced over at her again, her eyes betraying her feeling of being scared. "I will be an hour, two at most. In that time, I think you should teach your companions how to not cower from a fight."

"For some of them, it's their first time in an actual fight, especially against an enemy as terrifying as the Scourge. They will get used to it, I'm sure."

"If they don't get it together by the time I return, I'm not coming out here again with them until they start pulling their weight." He began to walk away, only stopping when something had crossed his mind. "Did Elaria talk to you?"

Thalina sighed, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Do we have to talk about this now?"

"No, I suppose we don't." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be back soon. Get them into shape otherwise they'll be left behind the next time we're sent out here." He gave her a half smile. "Stay safe."

Three hours later and Athrodar had returned to an empty camp. Thalina had moved her group back into the Argent Vanguard encampment after being called back by one of Highlord Fordring's messengers. Having come to that conclusion, Athrodar began to make his way back to them, only to be intercepted by a messenger as well. "Captain, I have an urgent message for you from Highlord Mograine."

Athrodar took the parchment that was being offered to him, unfolding it and reading its contents. "He wants me to make contact with someone he has deep into Scourge Territory?" He looked up from the parchment and at the messenger. "He can't be serious... I'm to do this alone?"

The messenger shrugged. "I'm just the messenger, but if that's what it says, I wouldn't argue. All I do know is he said you know the land more than anybody, so if anyone was to go about this alone, it's you."

Athrodar sighed, tearing up the parchment. "Fine, tell him I'm on it."

The messenger watched him walk off into the distance. "Wait, don't you want to know where you're going?"

"I think I can manage. After all, I know this land more than anybody, remember?" He had some kind of idea on where he was going, though he couldn't pinpoint the exact location. All he knew was he had to rendezvous with Baron Silver, an Ebon Blade commander who had managed to infiltrate a Scourge outpost. The trouble was, Athrodar wasn't told what outpost, just that it was definitely in Icecrown and surrounded by Scourge.

* * *

Athrodar was out in the open, surrounded by an endless sea of white and blue in his full black leather attire, knowing he couldn't stand out more if he tried. He was atop his Deathcharger scanning the horizon, hoping to find some sort of activity whether it be an ally in distress or a small pocket of Scourge for him to fight, anything to release him from his state of boredom.

He had been riding for half a day now, both horse and rider not needing rest due to their lack of life, allowing him to cover a lot of ground. He had started off at full speed, slowing down gradually the further into Scourge territory he got, moving at walking speed now. He also had the feeling he was being watched, but couldn't point out anything that would give him the suggestion of someone following him.

He pulled on the reins of his horse, bringing it to a stop before climbing down from it's saddle. He gave the beast a pat on the neck, walking around it. "Good boy. Now I'll need you to watch over me whilst I do this." What he was referring to was his state of meditation, tapping in to his memories of this place the best he can to pinpoint where he was.

Athrodar took a seat by his Deathcharger, the armoured skeletal beast watching over him. He closed his eyes and began to think back to almost two years ago when he was left in charge of Northrend whilst Arthas was still in the Plaguelands, straining his mind the best he can without hurting himself.

The longer he meditated, the more his body began to switch off, leaving only his mind to work. In doing so however, he didn't hear the whinnying of his Deathcharger when those who were following him had encircled the two of them. Only when a knife have been placed at his throat did he snap out of his meditative state, opening his eyes to find three Darkfallen were surrounding him.

"Well, looks like we have found our missing Prince." Said the first one, glancing at his two companions.

"The Blood-Queen will be thrilled when we return you to her." Said the second, almost sounding like he was excited at the prospect.

"Although, he doesn't seem all too thrilled to see us. Almost like he isn't one of us any more." Came the third, her voice sounding more broken than the others.

Athrodar shifted his eyes over to his horse, only to find it was laying on the floor lifeless, the necromantic magic in its eyes having disappeared. "You shouldn't have done that."

The first one began to laugh, moving the knife away from his throat momentarily and giving Athrodar the chance to launch his attack. He moved one of his legs in a sweeping motion, knocking the first Darkfallen off his feet. He pushed himself forward, grabbing the knife from the hand of the Darkfallen he had knocked over, rolling to his side and pushing himself up onto his feet.

The second and third brandished swords, feeling confident in their fight against Athrodar and his smaller weapon. "Don't make this harder for yourself Prince, surrender now and we won't harm you. Or be slain by one of us here and face the consequences later when we bring you back to the master."

Athrodar smirked, spinning the dagger around so the blade faced away from them. "It's almost amusing to think you two can take me on and survive."

The third Darkfallen charged in carelessly, thinking her sword was enough to take him out. He dodged her first two swings, bring his dagger up to pierce her in the middle of her neck, blood spitting out of her mouth once the blade was pulled out. She dropped to her knees, her blade falling out of her grasp before she fell forward into the snow.

The second Darkfallen didn't make the same mistake however, his swings were a lot more precise which made Athrodar parry a lot more than he would have wanted. Though it was all for nothing as he grabbed the sword by the blade, slicing his palm in the meantime but allowing him to pull the Darkfallen closer and into his awaiting dagger, sinking the blade deep into his stomach.

The Darkfallen however, laughed at Athrodar as he remained on his feet. "Did you forget that we're also dead? It will take a lot more than that to kill me!"

"I know." Athrodar elbowed the elf in the face, the Darkfallen releasing the grip on his sword which allowed Athrodar to take hold of the hilt, swinging it around and cleanly decapitating the Darkfallen in front of him, both head and body falling to the ground with spurts of blood coming out from headless body. He turned around to point the sword at the Darkfallen that was still on the floor, witnessing everything that just happened.

"Do it, kill me here you traitor!" He spat at Athrodar, hoping to taunt him into killing him right there and then.

Athrodar crouched down, pulling the remaining Darkfallen closer to him by the collar of his tunic. "I have a message for the Blood-Queen that I want you to deliver."

He laughed at Athrodar. "What makes you think I won't go straight to the Lich King and tell him where you are."

"Nothing. In fact, I believe you will do such a thing. But how would he react when he finds out I'm still alive, not on his side whilst you're still alive after running into me?"

The Darkfallen thought for a few seconds, groaning when he came to a conclusion. "Fine, what is it you wish to me relay?"

"You swear to go straight to her, and nobody else? I don't want you to get killed before you can give her my message."

He glared at Athrodar, gritting his teeth in frustration. "I swear."

Athrodar smirked at him. "Good." He handed the Darkfallen a folded note. "Hand this to her, read it if you must but it's for her eyes only. You got that?"

He looked down at the note then back to Athrodar. "How will she know it's from you?"

"She will, trust me." Athrodar let go of the Darkfallen, getting up onto his feet. "And as a thank you, I'll let you take one of them back to the Citadel, perhaps they'll be made into something more useful."

Athrodar stood over his horse, watching the Darkfallen begin his journey back to the Citadel. Once he was certain the Darkfallen was gone, he knelt down next to his horse, sighing as he placed both hands on the beast, murmuring a few words as his eyes began to glow brighter. When he finished, he removed his hands from the neck of the beast, his eyes dimmed down to their natural state as he watched on, waiting for his Deathcharger to get back onto its legs.

A minute passed by with nothing happening, that was until his horse began to twitch, slowly willing itself back to life. The process of reanimating had become a common thing for the beast, yet the whole thing was taking it's toll, slowing down the responsiveness of the horse every time Athrodar brought it back to life. When the horse was back on its legs, he patted the horse on the neck, walking towards the saddle. "There, there boy. Come on, let's get going."

He climbed back onto the saddle, kicking the horse into a slow canter and in the opposite direction of the Darkfallen.

* * *

Lana'thel remained in her chambers, her mood had become more agreeable to her Darkfallen, though she still ignored them when they gave her information that was nothing of use to her. She also took out her frustration on more and more of the mindless undead that roamed the Citadel, knowing they could be replaced in an instant.

This day, like so many days, she was laying on her bed, curled up in a ball with her wings wrapped around her, waiting for some sign that would show that Athrodar was still out there, hoping he was going to come back to her. She had never felt so weak, her lack of feeding on the blood of the living had gone on for too long this time, causing her to suffer greatly at her ignorance.

The voices in her head were that of her own, taking on many different forms and all of them telling her to feed. Her fangs were more noticeable now than ever before as her body ached all over, for both the blood of the living and for the loving touch of her Prince. She had to feed.

She got up off her bed, willing herself to move towards the lower chambers of the Crimson Halls where her Darkfallen were training. With every step her body screamed, her joints telling her to stop moving whilst her mind told her to carry on. When she eventually made it to the lower chambers of the Crimson Hall, she collapsed to her knees, several of her Darkfallen rushing to her side with concern. "My Queen, what is it?"

She glared at the Darkfallen who had asked her what was wrong, her fangs becoming evident when they looked at her. "What do you think it is! I need to feed!"

A few of her Darkfallen ran to get some of their living slaves they had captured shortly after the Wrathgate, Lana'thel remaining on the floor, too weak to pull herself up from where she sat. Her defiance to feed whilst Athrodar was missing had gone on long enough, she knew that Arthas was losing his patience with her and how useless she was to him in this state.

He didn't punish her though, the Lich King was too preoccupied with finding Athrodar whilst bolstering his defences, knowing that the Alliance and Horde were recovering from the Wrathgate and planning to go on the offensive once more.

A couple of her Darkfallen had returned with humans, orcs and several other members of each faction for her to feed on, knowing she needed more than one victim to sate her thirst for blood. When they pushed the slaves towards her, her thirst for blood took over, giving her enough strength to launch herself at them, sinking her fangs deep into the neck of the first.

She drained the first of its blood within a couple of minutes, turning to the next one and sinking her fangs deep into their neck, drinking their blood just as quickly as she did the first. Soon she was surrounded by lifeless bodies, all having had their blood drained to quench her thirst. Just as she was about return to her chambers, one of her Darkfallen had intercepted her, handing her a note.

"What is this?"

"Open it, I was told you would know what it's about." He bowed to her, beginning to walk away.

"Wait, I'm not finished with you." She unfolded the note, reading through its contents.

 _Lana'thel,_

 _Know that I am safe and still alive, you know, as alive as the undead can be, though I cannot return to you at this time, nor do I know when I will be able to._

 _The past six months must have been difficult for you, but I need you to fight as hard as you can to stop yourself from coming to find me, doing so will end up with one of us dying, leaving the other alone in this world._

 _Stay safe and remain strong, don't starve yourself because I am not there. I am planning something that shall see us away from all of this and together again._

 _You know who._

She read through the note a couple more times, only stopping when a droplet of blood fell from her mouth and onto the note, folding it up and placing it close to her unbeating heart. "Where was he?"

The messenger looked away, trying to avert his eyes from her gaze. "Th-the note said for you to remain here."

Lana'thel glared at him, making her way to the shrinking Darkfallen, placing a hand around his throat and lifting him up so his feet didn't touch the ground. "I will ask you again, where was he!?" Her hand had become engulfed in shadowflame, burning away at the messengers neck as her grip on him tightened.

He clawed at her hand, struggling against her ever tightening grip. "North... He's north!"

She let go of him, watching as he dropped to the floor. "Where was he heading?"

"He was heading to Aldur'thar, my Queen." He rubbed his neck, getting up onto one knee. "There is another thing."

She glared at him once more, expanding her wings to their full width, giving her the look of intimidation. "Which is?"

He flinched away, scared of his Queen. "He... He no longer fights for the dead. If you go to him, you risk getting killed by those he does fight for."

Lana'thel knew he was right, which infuriated her. However, the idea of Athrodar being their enemy once more tugged at her heartstrings, threatening to cripple her once more as he was so close yet so far away. Except, he was close by and she knew it. "Was he alone?" The Darkfallen nodded, too scared to actually speak. "Then I am going to go to him. He needs me as much as I need him."

"You plan to bring him back on our side.. again?"

"I plan to talk to him, alone."


	25. Chapter 25

**Aldur'thar, The Desolation Gate**

Athrodar had made good ground, not resting to check his surroundings to find out where he was. Instead he continued heading north, hoping to find something that would resemble a Scourge outpost and locating his supposed ally out here.

In the distance, he saw the top of a fortress peaking up over a hill, figuring that was where he had to go first. Just as he began to make his way towards the fortress, the winds changed direction unnaturally, blowing the falling snow in his direction and impairing his vision. As quickly as the snow was falling towards him, it stopped just as fast, leaving clear skies.

Athrodar frowned at the fortress in the distance, not understanding what just happened but figured whatever it was, it came from there. He sighed, climbing down from his Deathcharger and beginning to walk towards it. "I may as well check this out." He muttered to himself.

He kept low as to not draw any attention to himself, sticking to the outcropped rocks so his armour could blend in to them, the white snow making his black leathers stand out. Athrodar looked up at the sky again, noticing the clouds were gone as well, leaving the night sky and thousands of stars dotted across it. Icecrown was always dark and gloomy, but right now he was in awe of the beauty it holds when the skies were clear.

As he approached the top of a nearby hill, he could see the fortress in all its glory. Though he quickly realised what he had stumbled across, leaving him with a knot in his stomach when he saw the countless Scourge in the area, confirming his suspicions.

"Aldur'thar. Fantastic." He sighed, beginning to climb down the hill he stood atop, slowly making his way to The Desolation Gate. Climbing down however was easier said than done, just as he got halfway down the hill, he heard the screech of a Frost Wyrm above, making him dive for cover behind a rocky formation. "Convenient." He muttered to himself, smirking at the place of the rocks.

He sat by for a couple of minutes waiting for the frost wyrm to fly past. The whole time he was watching what they were doing at the gate and inside the fortress, trying to get a rough estimate on how many were inside and what their patrol schedules were. The longer he watched the harder it was for him to pinpoint each patrol, when and where they'll be at any given time and how many there were, their numbers becoming overwhelming.

When the skeletal beast flew away, he began to move once again, sticking by the rocky formation on his right and out of view from those below. He crept closer and closer, not taking in the massive drop in front of him as he was too busy counting up the necromancers at Aldur'thar. So occupied with his headcount of The Desolation Gate he lost his footing on the descent down, sliding down the hill towards the massive drop that loomed in front of him.

Acting quickly, he pulled out a dagger from his belt and tried to find a footing in the snow, only to have his dagger move the snow down with him, not holding onto any crack or crevice in the land underneath. He looked to where he was going to end up, not wanting to die by falling from this ledge, finding no glory in dying that way.

He tried to plant his dagger into something solid a couple more times, only to find it held onto nothing with each strike to the floor. Coming to the conclusion this was his end, he stopped trying, accepting his fate as his feet dangled off the edge, followed by his legs shortly after.

A hand reached out an grabbed him just before the rest of his body fell over the side, pulling him up to safety with all their strength. He slowly was pulled up and away from the drop, laying at the feet of the one that saved him, keeping his eyes closed as he tried to calm himself down from his near death experience. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, my Prince."

Athrodar's eyes shot open, turning around quickly to face the one person he didn't want to see out here. It wasn't because he hated her, quite the opposite of that. He didn't want to see her out here where she was in more harm than good. "Lana'thel... What are you doing here?"

She crouched down by his side, placing a hand on his face. "Saving you, my love." She smiled at him, glancing over to the ledge. "I'm surprised you're up here, I thought you hated heights."

He wanted to be angry at her for defying his wishes in the note but found he couldn't, she did just save his life and he had missed her deeply. He got onto his knees, shuffling closer to her until they were almost touching, pulling her into a long hug. "I've missed you."

She held him tighter, not wanting to let go of him. "To say I've missed you would be an understatement" She pulled away slightly, only to gaze in his eyes as he done the same. "Once I found out you were in Icecrown, I had to see you."

Athrodar's gaze never left her, taking in her beauty and knowing he was lucky to have someone such as her care for him as much he did for her. An image of Thalina crossed his mind which shook him a little, not expecting the Magister to be in his thoughts. He placed both his hands on her face, leaning in and giving her a long kiss, not needing to breathe made it easier to hold her there for a long time, though she wasn't complaining.

She held herself as close as she could to him, leaning her whole body on him until she pushed him to the ground, the Blood-Queen falling on top of her Prince. "Come back with me, my love. Let us be together again."

Athrodar stroked her hair as she lay on top of him in the snow. "I can't, I'm not under his control." He looked down at her hand that was tracing circles in his chest. "He will have to kill me again if he wants me back on his side." He placed a hand on top of hers, stopping it from moving. "I don't think he will take me back, not without breaking me and wiping my mind completely."

She looked up him, scared at the possibility of him being taken away from her again, but this time not allowing him to have his memories of her had shaken the Blood-Queen a little. "What do we do then? I am still under his influence."

"You need to return to him and to your people. You're safer there than you are with me." He kissed her forehead. "The living would kill you on the spot if they saw you, I don't want that to happen."

She placed her lips against his, holding herself there for a few seconds before pulling away. "My people don't want to fight for him, but he has tethered us to him." She planted another kiss on his lips. "You said in your message you were planning something, how far have you come in this plan?"

Athrodar sat up, pulling Lana'thel towards him until she sat up his lap. "I am close, but I think I can put it on hold seeing as you are here now." He snaked his hand up her thigh, watching her face as she began to enjoy his touch the further up he got. "Besides, I know how you get when you've been away from me for too long."

She bit down on her bottom lip as he began to kiss along her neck, knowing exactly where her sensitive spots were and lingering there long enough for her to let out a light moan. "I have needed you for months my Prince, the whole world can be put on hold for all I care." She leaned in and gave Athrodar a lingering kiss, biting his bottom lip as she slowly began to move backwards, dragging him down until she was laying on her back.

Athrodar placed his hands either side of her, Lana'thel wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down towards her. He began to kiss up her neck, making his way towards her lips slowly, teasing the Blood-Queen as she tried to force their lips together. When their lips met, they began to kiss each other hungrily, their tongues meeting in the middle as neither one of them wanted to be apart.

Just as Athrodar moved his hands behind her back, trying to untie her robes, a frost wyrm flew past them, gliding low to the ground. Athrodar looked up towards it, noticing the beast banking to the right as if it saw the pair of them. "We've got a problem."

Lana'thel looked over towards the wyrm, noticing it had turned to face them, lowering its altitude once more until its claws scraped along the snow. "It's coming towards us and fast." Athrodar pushed himself up, offering a hand to Lana'thel and pulling her up once she took it. He readied his bow, conjuring an arrow made of ice and nocking it into place, Lana'thel standing next to him, shadowflame dancing along her fingers as she too began to conjure a spell.

The frost wyrm flew low, opening its jaws wide as it readied its breath attack, not noticing that the Blood-Queen was there, only fixating its attack on Athrodar, which made for a costly mistake. Lana'thel launched a ball of shadowflame towards the open jaw of the skeletal dragon and watched as it connected with the icy attack that was brewing within. The combination of both schools of magic created an explosion from within the frost wyrm, knocking the beast off course and into the snow to their left.

Athrodar watched the skeletal beast closely, waiting for any small movement to show it was still a threat, seeing a twitch come from one of its wings. Athrodar fired an arrow at the body of the wyrm, conjuring another frost arrow and nocking it in place. The frost wyrm began to lift itself up, its bottom jaw dislodging from its socket, leaving only half a skeletal dragon head. Athrodar began to fire more arrows into the beast, knocking it off its legs as his continued barrage became too much for it.

Lana'thel conjured a shadowflame vortex around the skeletal dragon, quickly incinerating it from all sides. The beast let out a deafening roar as it tried to break free from the burning deathtrap, only to incinerate itself as its wings began to move. Athrodar watched on as the lights in the beasts eyes faded, no longer being powered by necromantic magic. He put away his bow, walking over to Lana'thel who was still casting the vortex. "It's dead, you can stop now."

Yet she didn't, focusing on her spell work more than listening to him. Athrodar placed a hand on her shoulder, interrupting her concentration and making her snap her head towards him, her eyes filled with a fiery rage. Athrodar slowly moved a hand towards her face, her eyes following it as he drew closer to her, the flames that burned within her eyes dying out quickly as she realised who he was. She moved her hand towards his, taking hold of it and stepping closer to him. "I'm.. I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

Athrodar placed his free hand on her face, rubbing his thumb along her cheek. "Yes you do. He still has a hold over you, making you lose your self control." He glanced over to the remains of the frost wyrm, noticing it was missing a wing and three legs as well as half its tail and skull. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that spell."

Lana'thel moved towards him, burying her head in his chest. "Hopefully you won't have to, but knowing Arthas I fear he may use me against you."

Although he didn't want to hear it, Athrodar knew she was right. Arthas' hold on her was strong and he knew the Lich King could command her to kill him if he so wished it. He held her tighter against him. "I will do everything in my power to not let that happen."

Lana'thel glanced over to the frost wyrm, still pressed against her Prince. "They would have seen the fighting from Aldur'thar, you need to leave."

"I need to get through there and reach the other side."

She looked up at him with a frown. "What are you doing so far away from the Argent Crusade? Why do you need to pass through that fortress?"

"I cannot say." He kissed the top of her head, stroking her hair as he studied Aldur'thar in the distance. "Just know that I will find a way to break you free from him."

Lana'thel smiled up at him, placing a hand on his face and stepping on her toes to kiss him. "That's all I ask of..." The whispers that lingered in her head grew into loud voices, one most dominant of all yelling at her, telling the Blood-Queen that they knew what she had done. Her eyes grew wide, letting go of Athrodar and moving away from. "He knows... He knows you are here, he knows what I have done!"

Athrodar quickly moved towards her, offering out a hand for her to take. "Come with me, I can find you some place safe to hide until this is all over."

She didn't take his hand, shaking her head at him. "There's no hiding from him, you know that. He will find me and my punishment will be worse than it is now." She began to flap her wings, hovering a couple feet in the sky. "Go my Prince, before his army finds you here. I will see you again soon."

Athrodar extended out a hand to her again, this time the Blood-Queen took it. He pulled her down and gave her one last kiss, one she would not forget for sometime. When he pulled away, he kissed her hand. "Stay strong my Queen, know that I will be coming back for you."

She flew up once more, pointing towards the distance. "Go, take the mountain pass behind Aldur'thar, it's the safest passage around it."

Athrodar followed her hand, looking towards the steep mountain pass that would lead him behind Aldur'thar. He turned his gaze towards the sky, noticing storm clouds were rolling in, pulling his cloak around him not for warmth, but out of habit. He began to climb up towards the mountain and to the passageway that would take him past Aldur'thar, all the while thinking about Lana'thel and what she will have to endure when she returns to Arthas.


	26. Chapter 26

**The Shadow Vault**

The snowfall in Icecrown was heavy, impairing Athrodar's view greatly. He had only his memory of this place to guide him as well as the few yards he could see in front of him, both of which gave him little confidence in his navigational skills. Aldur'thar loomed in the distance behind him, ever shrinking with each step he took, he could make out the frost wyrms gliding around lazily at the top of the Citadel, being sent as reinforcements by Arthas once he found out Athrodar's location.

Although he was told it was the safest path around The Desolation Gate, he still held his bow firmly in his grasp. He kept an arrow in his other hand, brushing his thumb over the fletching as he scanned the distance only seeing the thick blanket of snow falling from the sky.

He had been walking for a few hours, only now noticing he was descending down the mountain pass when he glanced back at Aldur'thar, only to find it was being blocked by the path he was just walking along moments ago. With that, the snowfall was beginning to slow which made his vision a lot clearer, giving him the chance to see where he was actually going.

The shape of another fortress loomed over him in the distance, at first believing it was Aldur'thar again, but was quickly reminded that it wasn't when he saw this one was buried in the mountains and had a lot less work done to it.

As he stepped closer, he could see a lot less Scourge activity in this new fortress than back at The Desolation Gate, scanning the area to find his contact. "So, Arthas' prince has returned to Icecrown. The trouble is, who's side is he on?"

Athrodar spun around, holding onto the hilt of his sword, trying to find the location of the voice. "I am on the side of the living, and those who fight with them." He began to take a few steps towards where he thought the voice was coming from. "Show yourself and tell me _your_ allegiances."

The owner of the voice stepped out from where he was hiding, which was exactly where Athrodar thought he was. "Your hearing is just as impeccable as I remember."

Athrodar's grip on the hilt loosened. "Baron Sliver. So this is where you've been hiding." He looked around, not knowing this area all too well. "Wherever this place is."

His contact, Baron Sliver as most know him, was a Death Knight just like Athrodar. He walked past Athrodar, motioning him to follow, which he did. "What you see just down there, is The Shadow Vault. I was tasked to collect knowledge of this place and infiltrate it by any means necessary."

Athrodar nodded, remembering the talks back on Acherus just before this all started. "Yes... you were tasked with leading some of the Ebon Blade in Icecrown, trying to set up a foothold of some sort."

Sliver glanced over at him before looking back down at the fortress. "Precisely. Though when we heard you were captured by Arthas, again, we had to change our plans. That's why you are here with me now."

"To help you infiltrate their ranks?"

Sliver laughed. "No, I have already done that and collected all the intel I believe necessary. What you are here to do is help me take it down from the inside. As long as I am seen with them, they won't suspect it to be me."

Athrodar pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Is anybody actually going to tell me why I am here?"

Baron Sliver frowned at him. "You weren't informed?" Athrodar shook his head at him. "You need to kill some high valued targets here, or at least, weaken them so much so for me to break Arthas' hold on them and bring them to our side."

Athrodar watched him carefully, trying to find some trace of a lie in his words. "Do you actually think that would work?"

"It's all experimental so nothing is set in stone. However, since they're nothing but minor captains of the Scourge, it should work with only a small chance of failure."

Athrodar's hopes of using whatever Baron Sliver was going to use had been thrown away once he was told of its effectiveness. He sighed, turning towards The Shadow Vault. "Who are the targets?"

Baron Sliver smirked at him. "Straight to the point eh? Well, we have three targets, all in charge of their own units. The first is an Abomination named Vile, second is a Banshee by the name of Lady Nightswood and lastly is a geist named The Leaper."

"Creative names." Athrodar responded. He crouched down, beginning to drawn an outline of the fortress below. "Where are each of them located?"

Sliver began pointing to each of the locations of the three targets on Athrodar's makeshift map with his sword. "They're all on separate ledges one is on the east ledge whilst another is on the west. The last one is on a mid-tier ledge of the actual fortress, one that I believe should be targetted first."

Rubbed his chin, running over the plan in his head. "So the first target is in the hardest to get spot. Who would that be?"

"Unless they have changed who goes where, which I highly doubt, it would be The Leaper. The west ledge has the banshee whilst the abomination is on the east." Sliver sighed, resting his sword on his shoulder. "Do you have any more questions, or are you going to actually do the task?"

Athrodar stood up from his crouched position, scanning the area around him for a viable path towards his first target. "No, I believe I am done with the questions." He glanced over to Baron Sliver who seemed relived to hear such a thing. "Isn't this where you go and make your presence known to those down below?"

"Is that another question?"

Athrodar shook his head, smiling all the while. "I suppose you're right in that matter." He looked to his right, assessing the rocks he was about to climb. "Right, I best be off. Good luck with... whatever it is you're going to do."

Sliver extended out his hand, to which Athrodar took it. "Try not to get yourself captured or killed, again."

"I'll try my best." With that, Athrodar began to climb up the rocks that would lead him towards his first target, finding a sturdy footing with every step he took up the steep slope, not wanting to slip and fall like he did just before Lana'thel pulled him up to safety.

Athrodar reached the top of the steep incline, giving him the ability to see more of The Shadow Vault and all three locations Baron Sliver was describing to him. He could see the abomination that goes by the name of Vile and the geist that he knows by the name of The Leaper and his first target. However, he couldn't see the banshee which was troubling to him.

He kept low, moving towards the mid-tier ledge where the Leaper was watching over the rest of the Shadow Vault. He watched the fiend, taking in its misshapen appearance and feeling a little sorry for the geist. The geists were hunched over members of the Scourge that had been disfigured so much they typically ran on all fours, in a bouncing like motion, almost as if they were doing small leaps. Their heads looked like they wore burlap sacks that were tying everything together with one eye in the middle so they could see where they were going.

They were also difficult to sneak up on as they moved faster than he did when he was trying to remain stealthy. He hid behind one of the walls, hoping that his target would come bouncing back past him, giving him the opportune moment to kill the geist and resurrect him with a rod that Baron Sliver handed over to him.

He held a dagger in his hand, hearing the light thumping of a geist coming his way. Just as his target bounced out in front of him, he leapt towards it, planting his dagger deep into its back and snuffing out any life it had left. He pulled the resurrection rod out from his belt, looking at it briefly before crouching down over the body of the Leaper. That was when he heard three sets of muffled roars coming from behind him in anger.

Turning around, he saw three more geists that didn't look too pleased he had killed their leader, but before Athrodar could draw his sword, several more geists began to climb up from the walls all around him, surrounding the former Prince in a circle of at least ten of them. He eyed every one, adding up the odds of his survival in this encounter and figuring they had no weapons so it should be easy.

Just as he pulled his sword out of its sheath, all ten of the geists began to screech at him in their own language, presenting their claws on their hands. Athrodar looked at their newly presented weapons and figured that was both their defence and offense. "Well... shit."

* * *

Thalina and Elaria were sitting down around a campfire, both women watching the newest recruits in training. Thalina's gaze was on the newest mages and priests, keeping her thoughts to herself when she saw them struggling with the melee training. Elaria leaned closer to the Magister, bowl of food in her hands. "You know, you could take any of those recruits on in a one-on-one duel."

Thalina turned her head towards Elaria, her eyes shifting down to the bowl of food in the Night Elves hands. "You don't know that. They could be just as good with a weapon as you or I."

Elaria snorted, lifting the bowl of food to her mouth and slurping the liquid inside. "Please, you're much better with a sword than those new guys. Plus, you're a Magister, your father's a Grand Magister for pity's sake, you can run rings around them. Don't shy away from your potential."

Thalina watched as Elaria dipped her bowl in the pot that was boiling over the fire they sat around, shaking her head with astonishment. "Do you ever stop eating?" Elaria stopped what she was doing, staring at Thalina with a big grin on her face. "What?"

"You sound just like him." Elaria looked around the camp, trying to find Athrodar. "Where is he anyway?"

"He is on a 'special mission' for Highlord Mograine." Thalina sighed, picking up a nearby bowl and dipping it in the pot. "I suppose it's something we need to get used to. He is more useful out there than he is in here."

Lumu crept up behind the two elves, on the prowl in his cat form and getting ready to pounce on them when they least expect it. However, he didn't know Elaria was a seasoned assassin and knew he was there before he even had the chance to pull off his plan. "Whatever you're planning on doing Druid, it won't work."

Thalina looked around behind her, noticing the yellow glowing eyes of Lumu's cat form and extending out her hand towards him, inviting the druid to join them. "Come here kitty." He avoided her gaze and her hand, laying down on the other side of the fire. Thalina knew he hated being called kitty when he took that form, but she enjoyed teasing him nonetheless. "Are you mad at me?" She pouted at Lumu, slowly crawling towards him.

Elaria sat back, watching the Magister slowly make her way to the growling druid. "You know, if they make that noise, it's not normally a good sign."

"Oh hush, he won't hurt me." She was still crawling over to him, sitting down by his head when she was close enough. She began to pat his head, stroking his mane which made him purr involuntarily. "See? He likes me too much to hurt me."

Elaria continued to watch as Lumu moved towards Thalina, resting his head on her lap and falling asleep as her soothing hand motions lulled him to sleep. "He may be a big Tauren, but he is a little kitten at heart."

Thalina watched Lumu sleep on her, smiling as his ears twitched when her hand brushed past them. This continued for a couple more minutes until the whole thing was interrupted by the sound of a war horn coming from the south. It was faint, but the acute hearing of both Elaria and Thalina picked it up, looking towards the where the sound was coming from. "Is.. Is that a Horde war horn?" Thalina looked over to Elaria, hoping she would confirm her suspicions.

Elaria waited for it to blow again, hearing the horn getting closer when it blew for a second and third time. "I believe it is. Are we expecting them to join us in this?"

Thalina shrugged, straining her neck as she tried to get a glimpse of the newcomers. "We haven't heard anything, but I wouldn't turn down extra reinforcements if I were in charge." Her hand began to scratch behind Lumu's ear, keeping her gaze towards the south, noticing Horde banners swaying in the distance along with Forsaken, Darkspear and Tauren banners, as well as the Sin'dorei.

Elaria stood up, getting onto her tiptoes to see over the tents and other obstacles in the way, her eyes widening when she saw an orc along with an elf leading them. "It looks like Sylvanas is at the head of them. I also see an orc with her, by my guess it's Saurfang."

Thalina stopped watching the banners get closer, going back to looking at Lumu as he slept peacefully, the druid not knowing that the Horde were arriving. "Oh, Sylvanas is here? Bold move from the Banshee Queen to leave Undercity so soon after she was betrayed by those close to her."

Elaria looked over at Thalina, noticing her mocking tone when she spoke about Sylvanas. "Did something happen between the two of you? Because you can tell me about it if there was something." Elaria crouched down next to her, eager to hear what she had to say.

Thalina looked at her from the side, deciding not to give Elaria her full attention. "Oh I didn't tell you?" Elaria shook her head, placing both her hands on Thalina's arm, her excitement getting the best of her. "She tried to dig her banshee claws into Athrodar, trying to take him for herself."

Elaria watched her closely, noticing she was hiding something. "There's something else. I know you Thal, I can tell when you're not being fully honest with me." She continuously poked her ear, making it twitch and annoying the Magister into submission.

"Fine! Just stop poking me." She placed a hand over her ear, protecting it from Elaria's onslaught. "They... she kissed.. they kissed... I.. I don't know the finer details, all I know is they kissed and now that he is back with us, I'm not at all surprised _she_ has decided to turn up."

Elaria remained crouched next to her, propping her head up with her fist. "So, you're afraid she will get in the way of your plans to win Athrodar over?" She noticed Thalina's body language change when she spoke. "You're afraid because she has more in common with him than you do."

Thalina glanced up at her for a few seconds before looking down at Lumu. "Can we change subject? I'd prefer it if we didn't talk about this." She looked back up to Elaria, noticing she was giving her a blank stare, knowing she wasn't going to drop it. "Fine, yes I am intimidated by her because she is dead, just like he is dead. Clearly he prefers them seeing as he is in love with this Blood-Queen, to whom I've never met."

Elaria sat down next to her. "You know I hear she's quite beautiful."

Thalina rolled her eyes. "Oh.. you are... just... is she really?"

Elaria smirked at her curiosity. "Well I haven't seen her for myself, but she would have to be if she is to compete against you." She leaned in to a whisper. "Though I think you've got them both beat."

Thalina began to prod the logs on the fire with a nearby stick she found, trying to avoid Elaria's stare. "Please, how can I, a Magister, compete with two different Queens? They have more power and authority than I will ever have and if what you say is true, they're both apparently very attractive. What can I do to fight that?"

Elaria placed her hand on Thalina's chest, covering her heart. "You have the one thing they will never have. You're alive, that beats anything they have." She moved Thalina's hand to the same position, making her feel her own heartbeat. "See? That's something they have lost and something they will never get back."

Thalina placed her hand on top of Elaria's. "Thank you Elaria, that really means a lot."

Elaria smiled at her. "No worries, that's what friends are for." She glanced down at Lumu, noticing he was awake and trying to comfort Thalina the best he can in his cat form. "It appears our feline friend has woken up from his little nap."

Thalina began to scratch behind his ear again, slowly lulling him back to sleep. "I suppose I can try fight for him back when he returns."

Elaria stretched her arms up high, opening her mouth wide in a yawn and began to lean on Thalina. "Good, but for now I need you to stay still so I can sleep." Thalina rolled her eyes at her, letting Elaria rest on her whilst she continued to pet Lumu.

* * *

Athrodar stood over the bodies of the ten geists that surrounded him, wrapping his arm in a bandage after taking a deep cut from one of them, holding the reanimation rod in his other hand. He glanced around at each of the geists, slightly proud of himself for slaughtering them so easily whilst only taking a minor scratch, focusing on The Leaper when he found its body buried under two of them.

He pulled The Leaper clear from the rest of them, inspecting the rod that was given to him by Baron Sliver closely, not sure on what to do to with it. He began to prod the geist with the rod, having not been given clear instructions on how to reanimate it. Losing his temper at the whole thing, his fist began to glow with shadow magic, looking to destroy the rod in his frustration.

Little did he know he began to empower it, purple electric beginning to shoot out from it and hitting the many geists around him, reanimating them back to life. He looked closely at the rod, noticing it was glowing brighter the longer he held onto it. "Well that makes sense, I guess."

He crouched down by the main geist, placing one end of the rod on The Leaper and watching as shadow magic began to seep from the rod and into the geist. He watched as its legs and arms began to twitch followed by its eye beginning to open slowly, its head beginning to lift up from where it lay. The ten geists he accidentally reanimated crouched down next to him, watching to see if their leader would be reanimated as well.

Athrodar glanced at the geists around him, smirking as they stuck around him like he was their master. The Leaper slowly pushed himself up from the floor, crouching down in front of the rest of the geists before looking up to Athrodar, blinking its one eye slowly at him. "We good?" The geist looked up at him, nodding its head once before bouncing off towards Baron Sliver's location. "I take that as a yes."

Athrodar scanned the rest of the Shadow Vault, spotting the abomination and the banshee in their respective places. Both of them were surrounded by their followers and minions, Athrodar knowing they would be tough to take down but not impossible. He began to climb down from the mid-tier ledge, getting to the ground level quickly without being spotted, making his way over to where the abomination was standing, hiding behind a wall to not draw attention to himself.

He unslung his bow, drawing back an icy arrow he had conjured, aiming it at the abomination. "One down, two to go."


	27. Chapter 27

**Activity in Scourgeholme**

Thalina stood by the entrance to Elaria's tent, sipping on a hot cup of tea that Lumu made for everyone. Whilst she was becoming warm from the tea, the wind blew her hair around, mostly whipping her in the face which quickly became tedious to her. "Elaria, are you done?"

"Almost." Thalina could hear rustling from within her tent, the occasional bowl or personal clothing being thrown out the tent in a rush to find the thing she was looking for. "I'm certain I left it in here somewhere."

Thalina picked up a bra that managed to find itself at her feet, walking into Elaria's tent with it in her hand. "You seem to have.." Her eyes scanned the tent, looking over to Elaria who was half naked, rustling through her belongings. "Wow, uhm.. okay, clearly you are busy. I'll be outside, waiting for you to finish." She dropped Elaria's bra on her sleeping bag. "You also need to get dressed before you step out here."

Elaria looked down, noticing she was only half dressed and laughing at herself. "That would be a good idea." She quickly threw on a linen shirt, continuing to search through her belongings, sending more of her things out her tent and towards Thalina who continued her own personal battle against the wind. "Aha! I found it!" She ran out of her tent, tripping on a bowl that she sent flying whilst looking for the item she found.

Thalina crouched down, sipping on her tea whilst looking at Elaria. "So you found it?"

Elaria was laying face down in the snow, holding up a dagger for Thalina to see, her voice muffled by the snow. "Yes, I found it."

Thalina remained crouched down, taking the dagger from Elaria and inspecting it closely. "All this for a dagger?" She gestured to the mess Elaria had created to find the weapon. "Does it have some sort of sentimental value?"

Elaria flipped over onto her back, sitting up and taking the dagger from Thalina. "Actually, yes. Clara bought it for me when we were last in Stormwind." She looked down at the dagger in her hand, a memory beginning to tug at her heartstrings. "It was the last gift I got from her."

Thalina placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." She glanced down at her cup, extending it out towards her. "Tea?"

Elaria looked at the cup, noticing small ice cubes forming around the edges of it. "Uh, Thal. It's beginning to freeze over."

She gave her a childish grin. "Iced tea then?"

Elaria took the drink from Thalina, chuckling at her reply. "Thank you."

Thalina stood up, placing her hands on her waist and began to scan the area for the Horde members that arrived a week ago, spotting their encampment on the outskirts of the Argent Vanguard. "Do you think the Alliance will show up?"

"If they do it might spark something between the two factions." Elaria took a sip a tea, grimacing at how cold it was. "Actually, can you heat this up for me?" Thalina put her hands on the cup, heating it up until it began to steam. "Thank you, again."

They both began to pick up everything Elaria had thrown outside, Thalina only helping because it made the whole process faster. "You know, you could sort out your belongings the day before you need them."

Elaria threw some of her clothes at Thalina. "Come on, this is fun. It's our little bonding session."

"Yes, nothing is more fun than handling your... delicates." Thalina held one of Elaria's panties by the tips of her fingers. "I definitely feel closer to you now than I did yesterday."

"Give me those!" Elaria snatched her underwear from Thalina's grasp, quickly throwing them into her tent. The rest of her belongings were quickly gathered, the pair of them placing everything back in Elaria's tent. "Right, so what did you want to see me about?"

"He should be arriving any minute now, I thought I should tell you."

Elaria watched as Thalina was bouncing up and down with excitement, something she hasn't seen from her companion in a while. She placed both her hands on Thalina's shoulders, trying to stop her from bouncing. "Alright calm down Thal, Athrodar is only returning from his mission up north, it's nothing special."

"I know, I'm just nervous."

"You're nervous? The father of your child is arriving back here soon, the same man you've been crazily in love with yet he doesn't seem to show the..." She saw Thalina's face begin to turn to sadness, stopping her train of thought. "I'm sorry, I took it too far."

"No, you're right. We haven't been together since before he was taken, plus there's that Scourge Queen now." She sighed, sitting down on Elaria's bed and dropping her head in her hands. "I was just being stupid."

Elaria crouched down in front of Thalina, taking hold of her hands. "Listen to me, remember what I said last week?" She waited until Thalina nodded at her. "Good, because I need you to never forget that fact when you're thinking about him. Also you're stubborn as hell."

They both laughed at the truth of her last statement. "Thank you Elaria." She stood up from the bed, walking towards the exit of the tent. "Come on, let's go wait for him by the entrance."

* * *

Athrodar was walking through the snowy plains of Icecrown, holding onto the reins of his horse that was following him close behind. He had completed his task that was set, converting the three captains of the Scourge to their side and aiding Baron Sliver in taking The Shadow Vault for the Ebon Blade.

He had sustained a few more injuries from the assault on The Shadow Vault but nothing too serious, just a couple of cuts and bruises. He had wrapped a few more bandages on his arms and one across his abdomen after being impaled by a hook from an abomination. The Argent Vanguard encampment was coming into view as he climbed the last hill, noticing it had increased in size massively since his last visit.

On closer inspection, he noticed the Horde banners flying near the encampment, taking a deep sigh when he also noticed the group of Forsaken banners flying outside the main tent along with a contingent of Forsaken Royal Guards. As he was approaching the encampment, he spotted Highlord's Mograine and Fordring along with Sylvanas and Saurfang talking amongst themselves, deciding to keep low as to avoid them.

He led his horse to the stables, placing it amongst the other skeletal horses of the Ebon Blade and now the Forsaken. He left the stables shortly after, making his way up north towards Scourgeholme, only to be stopped by the group of high ranking people he wanted to avoid. "Captain, seeing as you've returned I would assume the task is complete?"

"Darion, it's good to see you. And yes, the task is complete with little to no casualties. The Shadow Vault is yours." He began to walk away from them, again only to be stopped by the same group again.

"Athrodar, join us. You know these lands well and your input would be much appreciated." Tirion placed a hand on his back, leading him away from the encampment along with Darion, Saurfang and Sylvanas. "We're planning on taking Scourgeholme and pushing up north towards the ocean, creating a port and shipping in more troops for reinforcements."

They stopped at the outskirts of the encampment, Athrodar looking towards Scourgeholm."My knowledge of this place is a little outdated." He turned around to face Tirion, not failing to notice Sylvanas' gaze upon him. "What do you need to know?"

"We need to know their defences, how many Scourge are located there, their strength and weaknesses as well as any other vital information you know."

Athrodar began to pace a little, thinking about what he knew on Scourgeholme. "When I past by on my way back, they had a few gargoyles in the air as well as some high ranking nerubians." He stopped pacing, looking back towards Scourgeholme. "I can scout it out if you need a more up to date information."

Sylvanas stepped forward. "I'll go with him." She instantly berated herself for speaking.

Athrodar glanced over to Sylvanas. "It's okay, I can do this alone."

Tirion shook his head. "No, you should take Lady Windrunner with you. The more eyes out there the better, as long as you both remain unseen." He began to walk away, Saurfang following close behind. Darion stuck around for a few seconds, giving Athrodar a look that only the former Prince would understand, glancing to Sylvanas quickly before catching up with Tirion.

Athrodar began to make his way to Scourgeholme, Sylvanas falling into step beside him. "He still doesn't trust me, does he?"

"Can you blame him? Especially after the whole Wrathgate incident."

"What do you know of it!?" She snapped at him.

"I was there. That plague of yours wiped out hundreds of lives, almost claiming my own." He picked up the pace, leaving Sylvanas behind.

"I'm.. I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to be used like that." She pulled on his arm, spinning Athrodar around to face her. "You know I was betrayed, right?"

Athrodar moved her hand off his arm. "I know."

Sylvanas wrapped her arms around him, bringing him closer. "My offer still stands." She whispered in his ear, lingering for a couple seconds longer than necessary.

Athrodar pulled her off him, holding her at arms length. "I'll think about it. For now though, we have to scout Scourgeholme for enemy activity." He let go of her, starting to make his towards Scourgeholme.

Sylvanas fell into step beside him once more, scanning the area around them. "I never thanked you for what happened back in Naxxramas."

He glanced over to Sylvanas, noticing her close proximity. "Can we not do this? We owe each other nothing, I don't need you to thank me."

Sylvanas pulled on his arm again, Athrodar sighing as he faced her once more."Can I at the very least apologise for shooting an arrow into your shoulder?" She placed a hand on the shoulder she shot an arrow into. "You know I had to, right?"

"Look, Sylvanas, clearly you want know if I know your reasoning behind things, so why don't I just tell you. Yes, I know you were betrayed. Yes, I know you had to shoot that arrow at me. Yes, I know you're attracted to power which is the only reason why you want to accompany me on this mission." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just.. just know that I know. It will make life a lot easier in the future if all our conversations include some form of me needing to know things."

Sylvanas stared at him wide eyed, Athrodar's claim that she is attracted to power had thrown her off balance a little. "What makes you so certain that you know me? I chose to join you because I needed to see it for myself."

He smirked at her. "So, what? You don't trust me or your Dark Rangers to give accurate intel?"

She shot him a glare. "That's not what I said." After a brief staring contest between the two elves, Sylvanas glanced down at the bandages across his abdomen. "What happened here?" She placed a hand on it, lightly gliding her fingers across the whole thing.

"A hook from an angry abomination." He smiled, turning his gaze towards the Argent encampment to his south. "We need to get moving if we're to scout that Scourge outpost anytime soon." His eyes focused on Sylvanas' again, the Banshee Queen nodding in agreement before they both set off towards Scourgeholme.

They made their way through the mountains of ice and snow, rock and saronite finally settling down on the outskirts of Scourgeholme and taking in its ghastly demeanour. The pools of plague and countless gargoyles gliding around freely in the air gave them enough information to know this place wasn't abandoned, the giant beetle like nerubians wandered about, crushing the skeletal minions beneath their legs, only to have them be reanimated by the many necromancers in the area.

The three ziggurats dotted around the outpost were of keen interest to Athrodar, the former Prince's curiosity was burning away at him, telling him to get a closer look at the leaders who remained inside them. Sylvanas on the other hand had a silent rage burning within her, telling her to retreat back to the Argent Vanguard and gather their forces for an assault right there and then.

Both of them sat on the branch of a dead tree, overlooking the surrounding area. The Banshee Queen turned to him, noticing his unwavering focus on Scourgeholme. "We need to get moving." She placed a hand over his, trying to get his full attention.

"I need to get a closer look inside one of those ziggurat's, find out who's in charge of this whole operation." He dropped down from the tree, darting towards Scourgeholme and the closest ziggurat to them. Sylvanas sighed, dropping down from the tree and chasing after the former Prince, pulling him behind cover when a group of gargoyles landed on the nearby ziggurat. Athrodar shot her a glare as she pinned him against the broken wall of a house that used to be there. "What!?"

Sylvanas placed a hand over his mouth, silencing him as the stone beasts began to take off, flying over their heads. Both of them watched as the group of gargoyles flew towards the furthest ziggurat from them, landing on its roof and turning into perfect statues. Sylvanas turned her gaze towards him, slowly moving her hand off his mouth and resting it on his chest. Her eyes flicked down to her hand then back up to his, slowly leaning in towards him.

Athrodar watched her lean in closer, quickly realising what she was doing and moving out her way. She stood there staring at the wall he was pinned up against a few seconds before, wide eyed as she realised what she was doing herself. "I.. I didn't.."

He peered around the wall, not giving her his full attention. "It's fine, just don't get distracted whilst you're out here. We still have a job to do." He watched as a nearby patrol began to walk away from where they were hiding. He glanced back to Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen not hiding the embarrassment in her posture. "Forget about it and move on. If you can't do that, then go back to the Argent Vanguard."

Sylvanas straightened her back, turning to face him with a glare in her eyes. "You don't get to talk to me like that. I am your Queen and you will respect me as such." Athrodar didn't turn around. Instead he just laughed quietly at her, the former Prince finding humour in her words. "What's so funny?"

"You aren't my Queen, not any more. If you want me to respect you, you will have to live with that fact." He glanced back at Sylvanas, catching her eyes looking at him briefly before deliberately looking away, trying to avoid his gaze. "Come on, we still need to scout this place out some more." He began to move again, running towards the back of the first ziggurat, trying to stay out of sight. Sylvanas watched for any nearby Scourge movements, quickly following Athrodar to the first ziggurat when the area was clear.


	28. Chapter 28

**Frozen in Death**

Night had fallen in Icecrown, not that any of the crusader's at the Argent Vanguard could tell the difference between night and day. Several guards had taken up the night watch whilst the rest of them had retired to their tents. Highlord's Mograine and Fordring along with their captains were in the command tent planning their next moves.

Two guards were posted at the entrance closest to Scourgeholme, keeping an eye out for any enemy activity coming from that forsaken place. "I'm telling you, that Scourge Prince is here with us. He is helping lead the assault in Icecrown."

The second guard shook his head, shivering in his plate armour when a cold wind blew past. "I just don't believe you. The last anyone had heard from him, he was at the Wrathgate fighting for the Scourge. Those who were lucky enough to escape didn't see any Scourge Princeling walk out of that place."

The first guard began to rub his arms, jumping up and down on the spot for an attempt to stay warm. "Why do we have to be on guard duty tonight, I'll take any other shift over this one." He looked out towards Scourgeholme, noticing two figures walking his way. "Are we expecting anyone to be coming from there?"

"Just a couple of scouts. I think that Banshee Queen is one of them along with a Dark Ranger of hers." Another blast of sheer wind blew past the two guards, the second one groaning in frustration. "Fuck this, I'm going to find a campfire to sit around, maybe grab some food whilst I'm there."

The first guard laughed, shaking his head as he watched his friend walk away. "Get me a bowl whilst you're there. I haven't eaten for a while and since it's going to be hot I think it will warm me up."

"I can't promise anything." The second yelled back.

The remaining guard watched on as Sylvanas and Athrodar walked past his post, the latter grabbing the guards attention as he looked familiar to the description of the Scourge Prince he was talking about. "I knew it..." He muttered to himself. Both Sylvanas and Athrodar glanced back at him, making the guard quickly avert his gaze.

Thalina moved the flap of her tent, holding it up so she could peer out of it. She scanned the encampment, spotting Athrodar and Sylvanas walking towards the command tent, exchanging words with each other the whole time. Her heart was telling her to go over to them and talk to him, but her head kept her grounded to inside her tent, telling her that it wouldn't be the best idea to interrupt their meeting.

She sat at the foot of her tent for close to an hour, watching for Athrodar to leave on his own and giving her the chance to talk to him. Her patience however was wearing thin, getting up onto her feet and deciding to walk over towards the tent they were all in, stopping halfway when she heard a war horn blow in the distance.

Athrodar along with everyone else burst out from the command tent, looking over towards Crystalsong Forest and the approaching Alliance army. Blue banners with golden lions waved in the distance, along with the races of the Alliance and their respective banners behind, led by a Dwarf on a war ram and a human on a horse. Tirion clapped his hands together. "Ah, so Jaina got my message."

Athrodar glanced over to Tirion, the Paladin smiling as he went back into the command tent along with Darion and Saurfang. Sylvanas glared at the approaching army, still having bad blood at the enemy faction for trying to take Undercity from her. She glanced over to Athrodar who was still standing by her side, watching the Alliance get closer and closer. "Come, let's take a walk."

Thalina watched as Athrodar left with the Banshee Queen towards the Horde encampment, sighing to herself when he walked into her tent. Elaria poked her head out from her tent, looking for Thalina. "Psst, Thal." When Thalina saw Elaria's head outside her tent, she smiled at her friend, throwing a snow ball directly at her face.

Elaria shot her a glare as she got closer to her, crouching down to level out their heights. "What do you need El?" She dragged Thalina into her tent, closing it up behind her.

"First of all, I don't appreciate you throwing snow at me. It's cold and I'm trying to stay warm." She bent over, picking up a blanket and wrapping it around her. "Secondly, was that the Alliance finally showing up?"

Thalina nodded at her. "From what I've heard, Jaina is leading them." She inspected Elaria, raising an eyebrow when she was done. "I see you've opted for clothing this time around, have we learnt from our past mistakes?"

Elaria looked down, brushing a few crumbs off her shirt. "This is what I wear to bed. It's normally less if I have company." Her eyes shifted up from her shirt to Thalina, the Magister looking towards the gap in the tent. "Why were you outside anyway?"

Thalina's gaze turned to the floor, her shoulders dropping as well as her head, avoiding Elaria's gaze when she tried to move in front of her until she placed both hands on her face, forcing Thalina to look at her. She sighed at the Night Elf, being forced to speak when she didn't want to. "She's taken Athrodar back to her camp."

Elaria stared at her, trying to find out the meaning in her words. "What do you mean? Who has?" It was only when Thalina gave her a stern look, widening her eyes slightly did Elaria get who she was on about. "Oh... Damn it." She wrapped one arm around her, pulling Thalina close for a half hug. "Listen to me, it doesn't mean anything. Remain strong and keep on fighting for him, and if you ever need me to box his head for him to think straight, I'll be right by your side."

Thalina laughed, her face buried in Elaria's shoulder, nodding along in agreement to her proposition. "As long as you can hit him hard enough to make him remember his feelings towards me, I'll allow it."

* * *

Athrodar stood at the entrance to Sylvanas' tent, moving out the way when Clea pushed her way past him to give her Queen a report on the Undercity. When she span around to walk away, she acknowledged the former Prince with a quick glance, continuing to walk out her Queen's tent without stopping to greet him. Athrodar watched her leave, smirking a little when she was out of earshot. "She doesn't trust me, does she?"

Sylvanas peered over the report Clea gave her, looking towards where her Dark Ranger-General walked off to. "The last she saw of you, you were under Arthas' control." The Banshee Queen looked back at the report, keeping her gaze away from him. "She also partly blames you for the Wrathgate and for us losing the Undercity."

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her. "What did I do to make you lose control of Undercity? I was under the control of Arthas at the time and a million miles away from your city." He sat down on a nearby chair, pulling his hood down and catching Sylvanas' attention. "What?"

Sylvanas slowly made her way towards him, stopping directly in front of the former Prince before sitting down on his lap and inspecting his head."Your hair, it's turning white." She stroked his hair lightly, stopping when Athrodar grabbed her arm. She pulled down her hood as well, exposing her hair to him, something she never done in public. She leaned in to whisper to him, their noses almost touching. "My hair was also black for the first couple of years."

He looked at her hair, only now noticing the colour of it. His eyes shifted down to hers, the pair of them staring at each other without talking. Sylvanas placed both her hands on his face, leaning in the last few inches towards him until their lips met, moving her hands behind his head whilst he placed his on her upper back, unstrapping her spaulders. Sylvanas deepened the kiss, untying his cloak and dropping it on the floor next to them, her spaulders landing on top of it followed by her cloak as well.

Clea strolled back into the tent, flipping through the pages of her latest report on the camp, tripping over the discarded cloaks that were on the floor. She got back onto her feet quickly, spinning around to face both Athrodar and Sylvanas when she heard the former Prince chuckling away at her misfortune. Her eyes opened wide when she quickly pieced together what was happening, dropping the reports on the floor. "M..My Lady, I'm sorry for interrupting."

Sylvanas glared at her Ranger-General. "Leave it there and get out Clea..." She glanced over to Athrodar before turning her gaze back to Clea. "... I'm a little busy at the moment." Clea looked over to Athrodar, opening her mouth to say something but shut it quickly when her Queen narrowed her eyes at her. She gave Sylvanas a slight nod, quickly walking towards the exit of the tent, stopping when the Banshee Queen grabbed her arm. "Nobody else is to enter here unless it's extremely important, you got that?"

Clea glanced over to Athrodar briefly who was watching her with a blank expression, turning back to her Queen to respond. "I'll make sure of it." She bowed to her, half jogging out the tent and placing two more guards outside it, along with the two that were already there.

Sylvanas turned her gaze back to Athrodar, grinning at him when she was certain they were alone. "Where were we?" She leaned in close to him again, resuming their kiss and slowly pulling up his tunic. Athrodar was untying the knots that held her breastplate on, both of them dropping their items onto the ground. He got up from the chair, lifting Sylvanas up with him whilst she wrapped her legs around his waist, walking over to her bed and dropping her down on it before climbing on top.

The four guards stationed outside their Queen's tent exchanged looks when they heard moans and giggles coming from inside. Clea walked past, making sure everything was fine one last time before going off to find Anya, stopping once she heard the noises coming from inside. She looked down at the floor embarrassed for a few seconds, a small smile playing on her face when she realised what they were doing. Her Queen seemingly happier with him around.

* * *

Athrodar was patrolling the outskirts of the encampment, needing to find something to do whilst they were preparing the final stages of the assault on Scourgeholme. He was also trying to clear his head of the feeling of guilt he had, the events of the night before still fresh in his mind. He had told himself time and time again over the past couple of weeks that he loved Lana'thel and that they would be together again soon.

He had a moment of weakness with the Banshee Queen and now he was angry with himself because he knew what she wanted from him, yet he still fell for her. Needing to vent his anger, he ran off towards the outskirts of Scourgeholme, cutting down any undead being foolish enough to cross his path.

Several ghouls and skeletons lay dead around him, Athrodar holding onto his bow tightly as he scanned the area around him, finding no more approaching Scourge. Snow began to fall from the clear skies, landing all around the former Prince without touching him whilst harsh winds began to blow in every direction. The normal glow in his eyes were replaced with bright lights as he began to exert his power towards nobody in particular other than to flex his strength.

Ever since Naxxramas, he had been able to control his unbridled power, harnessing it to the best of his ability. The only side effect being he would drain his energy a lot quicker whilst turning his hair from black to white, one strand at a time. The white streaks in his hair were becoming more visible the longer he flexed his power, soon to have a full head of hair that colour.

He stood still on the outskirts of Scourgeholme, creating a blizzard around him as he began to test the limits of his gift. The remains of the Scourge he cut down earlier were quickly covered in a thick blanket of snow as well as the path that would lead him towards the Argent Vanguard. His eyes fell upon the Scourge outpost in front of him, slowly making his way towards it whilst keeping up the blizzard he had conjured around him.

The further in to Scourgeholme he got, the more the Scourge began to notice the unnatural look of the blizzard he was surrounded by, the undead minions swarming to it in an attempt to kill whomever was controlling it. As they first layer of Scourge reached the blizzard, they were instantly buffeted by the harsh winds that froze them in place. Several gargoyles flew up high, trying to get to the eye of the storm and swoop down in an attempt to snuff out the former Prince.

He watched as the stone like beasts began to fly higher, knowing what they were planning to do and coming up with a plan of his own. The blizzard he had conjured around him began to shrink close in on him, compacting into a thick layer of impenetrable snow, all the while having the Scourge close in and surround him. Once the snarling ghouls and screeching skeletons fully surrounded him, the gargoyles dive bombing at his defensive shell in an attempt to break it, the blizzard burst forth in massive shards of ice, slaughtering everything in its path as they impaled each and every one of them.

Athrodar looked around as his icy explosion covered the entire outpost of Scourgeholme in snow and freezing everything that wasn't hit by the shards of ice. He began to laugh when he realised he single handedly wiped out the Scourge activity in the area, watching on as the few remaining Scourge minions retreated back to the Citadel that watched over everything. He turned his gaze towards the path that led him back to the Argent Vanguard, taking one step towards it, only to have his knees buckle beneath him. He collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, burying his face in the snow and laying there, too tired to push himself up from the ground.

Minutes crept by, Athrodar still too exhausted to do anything but lay there, slowly slipping into darkness as his energy waned, the use of his power taking its toll on him. He managed to flip himself onto his back, staring up into the sky as his eyes began to shut against his will. His last few seconds of consciousness were full of war horns blowing in the distance, ranging from Horde to Alliance, Argent Crusade to Ebon Blade.

He awoke several hours later surrounded by all types of purple and black cloth with a feeling that he was being pressed down on, the former Prince still too weak to move from the bed he was now occupying. His whole body ached from the stress he put it under, groaning a little when he tried to move. He felt some pressure on his hand when he did try to move, glancing over to it and finding another hand intertwined with his.

He fully turned his head around to face whomever was on his hand, finding Sylvanas sitting on a chair and watching over him. Her eyes were focused on his chest, taking in the many scars he had sustained since the Northrend campaign started. "You caused a lot a damage to Scourgeholme. In fact, you wiped out the whole outpost on your own."

Athrodar stared at the roof of the tent he was in, laughing as he recalled what he had done hours before. "Turns out they didn't need a plan after all." He moved his head up to scan the room, noticing they were on their own in her tent again. Sylvanas got up from the chair she sat in, leaning over the bed and planting a quick kiss on his cheek, turning around to leave shortly after. "Wait."

She stopped walking, continuing to face the exit of the tent. "What is it?"

"About last night, does anybody know? Or at the very least, suspect anything?"

She looked down at her hands that were fiddling with a piece of metal, smiling at his questions. "No, nobody knows. Unless you want to tell anybody, I'll be keeping it between the two of us." She took a few steps forward, only to stop once again. "There's a strategy meeting in twenty, they're expecting you to show up and go over what happened at Scourgeholme as well as the next step in their campaign."

Athrodar sat up in the bed, spinning around until his feet touched the floor, his muscles and joints groaning the whole time, opting to ignore the pain in order to get dressed. He found his tunic and cloak on the back of the chair Sylvanas was sitting on, slowly walking over to it and throwing on his tunic with ease. His cloak however was a harder task to complete on his own, though he didn't ask for help when he needed it.

Sylvanas quickly ran to him, standing in front of the former Prince and clipping his cloak to his shoulder pads and pulling his hood over his head, eyeing his now platinum blond hair the whole time, a similar shade to hers. Athrodar stood with his back facing the chair, the Banshee Queen smirking as she pushed him backwards onto it, sitting on his lap shortly after. "Since we have twenty minutes to kill..." Her eyes flashed with desire as she pulled herself closer to him.


	29. Chapter 29

**Argent Tournament Grounds**

Athrodar sat atop his Deathcharger, making his way up north towards a newly constructed Argent Crusade outpost named the Argent Tournament Grounds. The Argent Crusade had broken off from the Knight's of the Ebon Blade, as well as both Alliance and Horde to construct a stronghold in the North-Eastern part of Icecrown. The Knight's of the Ebon Blade had moved towards the Shadow Vault whilst the Alliance and Horde took to the sky in airships, sending out scouting parties to locate nearby pockets of Scourge.

Sylvanas had offered him a place by her side once more, the former Prince turning it down again before they parted ways. "I have only one goal here Sylvanas and that's to see Arthas' head on a spike at the foot of his Citadel."

She placed a handful of knives on her belt, nodding at his answer. "You don't think I want the same thing? If it was anyone else I wouldn't be in this wasteland, but I need to see him killed for what he done to our people."

Sylvanas looked around for her cloak, Athrodar handing it to her when she turned to face him. "I made a promise to Tirion that I would aid him in his campaign and I mean to see it through."

She threw her cloak around herself, strapping it to her spaulders. "I understand that, but you would be aiding him all the same if you came with me. We're all in this together, just set on different paths until we reach the Citadel."

Sylvanas began to look around the room once more, this time trying to find her boots. Athrodar holding them up to her eyeline when she faced him once more, the Banshee Queen smirking before taking them off him. "This is just something I have to do. I will come find you and the rest of the Horde if I'm no longer needed up there with him."

She sat down on a nearby chair, slipping on both boots and pulling on the straps until they sat tightly on her feet. "And what of that Magister of yours?"

"What about her?"

Sylvanas stood up from the chair, standing directly in front of Athrodar. "I've seen the way she looks at you, there's still something there between the two of you."

Athrodar pulled her hood up over her head, placing both his hands on her shoulders once he was done. "There's nothing there, at least not on my end."

She placed a hand on his arm, gazing into his eyes. "And what about us? Is there something between us?"

He smirked down at her, the Banshee Queen standing a few inches shorter than him. "I thought we were just in it for the sex."

She punched him in the abdomen with a shadow engulfed fist. "I'm serious!"

"You tell me Windrunner. I told you my thoughts towards this back when we were on our way to Scourgeholme, I believe you're only attracted to the power I have, not to me."

"If that's how you feel, then why did you take me to bed." She leaned in close to him for a whisper. "More than once."

Athrodar grinned, moving his mouth next to her ear. "Maybe that was the plan all along. To sleep with the Banshee Queen." He whispered.

When he pulled away, she stared at him with an incredulous look on her face. "Wh... Wait, what?" She pulled on his arm when he began to walk away. "You're not serious?"

Athrodar continued walking towards the exit, slowly dragging Sylvanas along despite her attempts to keep him grounded. He stopped walking when he realised he was missing something. "Have you seen my bow? I thought I placed it at the foot of the bed."

Athrodar stopping gave her the opportunity she needed, pulling on his arm once again, dragging him towards her and spinning him around once he was directly in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a long kiss whilst he placed his hands on her back. "I think you left it by the entrance."

He looked towards the entrance of her tent, finding his bow leaning up against one of the wooden posts holding up the whole thing. "Oh, so I did. Thank you." He kissed her nose and moved towards his bow.

Sylvanas unwrapped her arms from his neck, straightening out her hood and armour before watching him collect his bow. "Promise you'll come find me if Tirion no longer needs you."

He chuckled as he slung his bow of his shoulder. "We're making promises now? I didn't know we were still children."

"Just... promise."

He held open one of the flaps to the tent, watching the Horde preparing to move out. "I can't promise anything, but if I'm not needed up north then I will think about it."

She sighed, stepping closer to him. "That's the best I'm going to get, isn't it?"

He smiled, pulling his hood up. "You would be correct." He walked out the tent, heading towards the stables, Sylvanas hot on his heels.

"Then could I at least get a goodbye?"

Athrodar continued walking towards the stables. "Okay, what happened to you?" He stopped in front of his horse, untying the rope that kept it stationary. "I heard you were difficult to be around a couple months ago. Now you're acting like a clingy housewife, wanting to know where I am and if I will return to you when I'm not needed."

She leaned on a nearby post, staring at him as he began to strap a saddle onto his horse. "Is that so bad?"

He glanced over to her, the Banshee Queen still leaning up against the wooden beam with her arms crossed. "Knowing the line of work I am in, yes. I need my freedom when I'm out there and the best way to do that is to allow me to make my own choices." He climbed on top of his horse, looking down at her. "I will see you when I see you."

Sylvanas watched him ride away, sighing at the response he gave her. When she began to walk back to her tent, she noticed a few of her Forsaken standing around watching her and the conversation she was just having. "Quit standing around, get back to work!" She snapped at them, continuing to make her way back to her tent.

* * *

Athrodar arrived at the Argent Tournament Grounds two days later, placing his horse in one of the many stables and headed off to find Tirion. As he was finding his way through the outpost, he noticed the whole thing was bustling with activity, several crusaders jousting with each other, whilst others were holding down the monstrous beasts of Northrend with ropes and magic.

When he got to the middle of the Tournament Grounds, he was taken back by how quickly they had built this outpost, especially the arena in the middle of camp. He began to climb the steps that led him up to Tirion who was watching over a group of crusaders training in the arena. "This is some impressive work Highlord, you got set up here pretty quickly."

Tirion extended out his hand, the former Prince taking hold of it and shaking it firmly. "It's good to see you're up on your feet. You know, after Scourgeholme."

"That was almost two weeks ago now, though I suppose you did leave the camp the second the meeting was over." Athrodar glanced down to the arena. "What's going on here?"

"It's exactly what it looks like Captain, they're training."

Athrodar rolled his eyes at the blunt comment. "I know that, I mean what's going on outside. You know, the jousting, the tied up beasts."

Tirion watched the soldiers in the arena, smiling when one of them was knocked to the ground by another. "The jousting is for training knights on horseback. Whereas those beasts you've seen out there are for practice. We need to learn how to fell enemies ten times the size of us for when we go up against the monstrosities Arthas has waiting for us in his Citadel."

"You do realise we won't have any room for cavalry once we get inside the Citadel."

"I do realise that, but we need them for the build up to the assault on Icecrown. There are many outposts, fortresses and strongholds left to conquer, you know that, and we will need the cavalry to deal significant damage to their ranks."

Athrodar watched the recruits in the arena, amused by their lack of form. "So tell me, what is needed of me up here?"

"There's some Scourge activity to our west. They're becoming quite the nuisance and who better to send than their former Prince to clear them out." He glanced over to Athrodar. "By any means necessary."

"I will see it done." He bowed his head to Tirion, glancing back down to the arena. "Unless you need me to teach them how to fight."

Tirion chuckled, patting Athrodar on the back. "Go."

Athrodar made is way out of the arena and headed off towards the armoury, which is where he ran into Thalina and Elaria, the latter elbowing Thalina in the ribs to get her attention, nodding over towards Athrodar as he walked past them. "Now's your chance." She pushed the Magister forward until she stumbled in front of Athrodar, stopping him in his tracks.

She looked up at him and blushed as he met her gaze. "S..Sorry, I.."

He held up his hand, stopping her from talking. "Good, you're here. I could use your help." He glanced over to Elaria who was making a big deal out of not looking at them. "And hers."

Thalina's face lit up at the idea of him needing their help. "Really? Whatever it is, I will be there!"

"Excellent, follow me." He walked out of the armoury, stopping when he realised they were one elf short. "She does know I asked for her as well, right?"

Thalina span around and went back into the building, dragging Elaria out shortly after. "Now she does."

Athrodar continued walking until they were on the outskirts of the Tournament Grounds. He pointed up to a ledge that was to the west of the camp. "We are going up there. I have been informed that Scourge are hiding around that area and we are going to clear them out."

Elaria scanned the ledge he was pointing at, shaking her head at the height of it. "Does I really need to be here?"

Thalina smiled as she peered up towards the ledge as well. "Come on, it will be just like the good old days." She glanced over to Athrodar who was watching the pair of them. "Even though they were brief."

Elaria sighed. "When do we leave?"

Athrodar stood in between them, lookup up towards their destination. "We're going to wait for the cover of night. Both of you better rest up before we leave, eat, rearm, whatever you've got to do before we set out."

Elaria darted off as soon as she heard the word eat, leaving Thalina behind with him. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but couldn't find the words to do so. Instead, opting to stay by his side until she did find the words. When he stopped walking, she did as well, looking up to him as he sighed. "Hi."

"What do you need Thal?"

She looked down at the ground, her foot making small circles in the snow. "You and Sylvanas seem close."

"Really? We're getting into this now?"

She looked back to him with a seriousness in her eyes. "We have until nightfall, I can't see a better time to discuss this than now."

Athrodar scanned the area around them, finding it to be far too open for this type of discussion. He held her hand, dragging her to somewhere more private. "Yes, okay. We're close. She was my Queen for a period of time and we were catching up with each other." A lie.

Thalina narrowed her eyes at him. "There's more to that story and you know it."

"What I get up to in my private life is none of your concern Thal." He began to walk away, Thalina pulling on his arm to bring him back. "How have I not lost this arm yet, I will never know." he muttered to himself, making Thalina frown at him. "What?"

"You've made it my concern when you became reckless with your life. I can't let your throw it away so carelessly when we have a child, one that you've not cared about enough to ask how she is." She looked at him closely, Athrodar realising she was correct and his face showed it. "She's doing great by the way, she looks just like you."

He sat down, rubbing his hand over his eyes. "I'm sorry, I've just been distracted by this whole campaign."

Thalina sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know." She held his hand. "We will see his reign of tyranny come to an end and then maybe things will start to go back to normal."

He let go of her hand, throwing his arm around her instead and holding her closer to him. "Maybe." She yawned, hugging him to the best of her ability. "Sleep, we still have a few hours."

She nodded slowly, drifting closer and closer into sleep's dark embrace. "Athrodar..."

"Hm?"

"I know about you.. and the... Queen." She nuzzled her head under his arm, falling asleep on him.

Hours passed by until it was time to go on their mission, Athrodar picked her up and took her to bed, sitting by it whilst she dreamed peacefully. He was going over in his mind what she meant with her knowing about him and the Queen. He didn't know if she meant him and Lana'thel or what had happened between him and Sylvanas.

Elaria came by after a while, sitting next to him and giving him clarity on her words. "She means you and that Blood-Queen of yours. I told her not too long ago, I figured you would have discussed it by now." She turned her gaze to Thalina, grinning a little when she saw her friend smile briefly in her sleep. "She seems happier than normal, what did you two discuss?"

"Next to nothing, she just yelled at me for not asking about our daughter. Which I admit, I deserved." He watched Thalina as her smile faded. "Does she still blame herself for my death?"

"She tells me she doesn't. But I think deep down she still does and it's slowly eating away at her." She smiled sadly at Thalina who was now facing away from them, still asleep. "She just wants to be back in your arms."

"I know."

"Then why don't you take her back?"

Athrodar sighed, getting up and walking over to a nearby window. "It's complicated."

Elaria stood up as well, but remained by her chair. "Is it complicated? Because you and I both know that's no excuse." Athrodar glanced back at her, not saying another word. "Talk to me Athrodar, you may not be the same person you were before you died, but you're still like a brother to me."

"What do you want to know Elaria?" He began to raise his voice. "Seriously, what do you want me to tell you?"

"I want you to tell me the truth!" She began to raise her voice back at him. "I want you to tell me why you're torturing this poor woman by just being around her!"

Athrodar let out a half laugh. "You don't want me to tell the truth."

"Why not!?"

He turned around to face her, extending an arm out towards Thalina. "Because it would crush her!" He closed his eyes, taking a minute to calm down. "If I spoke the truth about why I won't take her back, it would crush what little hope she has left and I can't do that to her." He looked over at Thalina. "Not again."

Elaria narrowed her eyes at him. "You love her, don't you?"

"Yes... No.. Maybe.. I don't know.. This whole thing with her, Lana'thel and Sylvanas is messing with me."

Elaria's head shot back towards him after staring at the floor. "Wait, what do you mean Sylvanas?"

Knowing he said too much, he tried to retract his comment. "Nothing, forget I even mentioned her."

"No, tell me. What's going on between the two of you?" She studied his face, realising he was in fact hiding something from her. "Something happened, didn't it?"

"Drop it Elaria."

"This was what you didn't want to talk about, wasn't it? The thing that would crush her." She glanced over to Thalina, noticing she was awake and looking at her, slightly shaking her head.

Athrodar couldn't see her, figuring she was still sleeping. He turned back towards the window and sighed. "Yes, and like I said, drop it."

She kept looking back at Thalina, silently having a conversation with her. Thalina nodded when Elaria glanced between her and Athrodar, telling her to keep pressing him for more. "What happened? Did you two do something?"

"Elaria, stop."

"You kissed her?"

"I said stop."

"She kissed you?"

"Elaria, I said stop!"

"Tell me what happened and I will!"

Athrodar span around to face her, his face full of anger. "I slept with her, okay!? Is that what you wanted to hear? I slept with Sylvanas."

Elaria eyes shot open wide, facing Thalina who had the same expression except she looked crushed, just like Athrodar said she would. She turned to face Athrodar again, trying to think of something to say but finding she couldn't. Thalina got up from her bed, running out the room shortly after. They both watched her leave, either one of them too caught up in the argument to follow her. "How many times?"

"Five."

Elaria scoffed, shaking her head. "I hope it was worth it, because you may have just lost her forever."

Athrodar began to walk towards her. "Let me talk to her."

Elaria stepped backwards towards the door and extended out a hand towards him. "No, you've done enough damage, just... just leave her alone."

Athrodar watched Elaria leave the room, being left alone once more. This time however, he was furious. Not with them, but at himself for doing the one thing he didn't want to do which was hurt Thalina more than he already had. He began to throw things about the room, venting his anger out on anything he could get a hold of, stopping when he picked up a picture that stung him greatly. It was of Clara, Elaria, Liadrin, Vilandil, Thalina and their daughter Tanadia.

He fell back against a wall, sliding down until he was sitting, all the while holding onto the picture that had shaken him to the core. He pulled his hood off his head, placing his other hand on the picture and lightly brushing it across each and every one of the people in it that once meant so much to him. He stopped when he reached the little elf in the middle of them all, his daughter, tearing up when he realised he missed her birth and even her first birthday.

He wasn't one for crying, especially now in his current condition of undeath, but he couldn't stop the gentle flow of tears that had taken him by surprise, knowing he couldn't do anything to change the past but was willing to give up everything right now if he could still be alive and with his daughter that he had never seen until now, even then it was only in a picture.

Thalina walked back into the room, stopping at the door when she saw the mess he had created, as well as him looking at the only picture she had of her brother and daughter together. She slowly crept forward as to not startle him, the wooden floor betraying her as is creaked under her foot. Athrodar's head shot up, his teary eyes meeting hers. "She's beautiful..." He whispered to her, trying to keep his voice from breaking.

She held onto her heart with one hand, waving her other one towards the picture, making the still picture move with her magic as if they were living. She knelt down in front of him, trying to calm herself down as she watched Athrodar begin to laugh through his tears, the animated picture showing the events that happened that day. "This is last picture both Clara and Vilandil had taken before they died, I keep it with me to remember them." She pulled out the note he wrote to her all those years ago. "Along with this, it means everything to me."

He placed the picture down next to him, wiping away the trail of tears on his face. "I'm sorry Thal, for everything I have done."

She shook her head, still managing to smile through her broken heart. "I forgive you my love. I know you don't mean to hurt me." She placed her hands on his knees, both of them propped up when he slid down the wall. She looked at his hair, only now noticing the drastic change in colour since she last saw it. "Your hair... It's no longer black." She reached out a hand to touch it, feeling how coarse it was in her hand.

He held onto her hand, moving it towards his face. He never realised how much he missed the warm touch of her hand until now, closing his eyes as it dared to bring up more tears. "It changed to this just after Scourgeholme. My best guess is because of how much power I exerted to destroy that place in one go."

Whilst his eyes were closed, she slow pushed apart his knees, leaning through them until she was face to face with him, placing her other hand on his face as well. When he opened his eyes, he noticed how scared she looked, not of him personally, but how he would react if she finished doing what she had planned. They locked eyes for a few seconds, neither one of them moving until Athrodar made the first move. He lunged forward, kissing Thalina hard and catching her off guard.

She returned the pressure, quickly moving her hands down to his belt and removing it, only so he couldn't repeat what he done in Naxxramas. He chuckled midway through their kiss, coming to the same conclusion she did when she removed it. She held herself on him tightly, her body ached for this moment, her impatience almost ruining it however when she struggled to remove his cloak and tunic.

Athrodar moved forward, laying Thalina on her back as he began to remove her robe, smiling when he realised she chose to wear nothing underneath them. "A bit risky, especially in this weather."

She giggled, pulling him back down towards her. "I can keep myself warm with my magic, this was for you."

He began to kiss her, starting from her lips and working his way down her neck, all the while she was biting her bottom lip, storing every touch to memory. He had made it halfway down her stomach when Elaria walked in. "Hey Thal, do you know where... Woah!" She shielded her eyes with her hand, leaving a small gap between her fingers to peer through.

Thalina span around onto her stomach, quickly throwing a ball of fire at her. "Elaria! Knock next time!"

Elaria quickly ran out the room, peering her head around one last time. "And you tell me to wear clothes..." Another fireball flew past her, Elaria moving out the way. "Be careful of that one, she's feisty!" She yelled, quickly making her way outside and away from them.

Thalina quickly ran to the door, shutting and locking it so not to get interrupted again. She span around to face him. "Sorry about that, I should have known she would be coming back."

Athrodar stood up, taking in her fully naked body before moving towards her once more, picking her up as she jumped at him. "Unless it's broken, I think you have a fully functional bed we can use." He kissed her ear, making it twitch.

"We can do this wherever, just as long as we do this." She began to kiss him furiously on his face, ignoring the taste of death he had about him, only caring that it was him and nobody else. He placed her down on the bed, removing his leggings and boots before climbing in with her, covering the pair of them with the duvet as he began to make his way down her body once more. Thalina was truly happy for the first time since arriving in Northrend, she had Athrodar back and had a feeling it wouldn't be just for one night.


	30. Chapter 30

**_A/N: Three Chapters in one day? Whaaat?_**

 **Yes this is my third upload today for this story, I have had a lot of free time and the creative juices have been flowing nonstop for the past few days, allowing me to write Chapters 28-30. Not long ago I thought this would end at chapter 30, now I see it ending around 40-45. I even had the whole thing planned but got carried away in the little discussions and made them into chapters of their own. (Scourgeholme was meant to be half a chapter along with the Argent Tournament Grounds). Alas, that was not to be.**

 **I am however grateful to all those who have carried on reading up to this point, more surprised than anything that I have kept you entertained for this long. The story is coming to a close though as we're nearing Icecrown Citadel and the Lich King. So I hope you enjoy the rest of the story and as usual, feel free to leave a comment if you have anything to say, Good, Bad or some Constructive Criticism.**

* * *

 **A New Mission**

Athrodar was staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep ever since he was risen from death whilst the elf curled up next to him was sleeping peacefully. Being awake did give him the chance to mull over things in his head, especially his feelings towards Lana'thel, Sylvanas and Thalina, trying to work out if what he felt for each one was real or not.

All his thinking was distracted however by the constant flow of hot breath on his chest, Thalina using it as a pillow whilst she had thrown one arm over him to hold herself close. Knowing he needed less distractions, he slowly began to extricate himself from her grip, Thalina moaning as she normally done when he tried to remove himself from her when she was sleeping.

He stood up over the bed after getting dressed, pulling up his hood and fastening his belt before looking down at her, grinning a little when began to move her hand around the bed, trying to find him. He knelt down, taking hold of her hand and kissing the top of it. "I'll be back soon, I just need to do something."

She smiled a little as she exhaled through her mouth, her hot breath caressing his face. "Come back to me quickly." He let go of her hand and watched her fall back to sleep almost instantly, pulling up the duvet until it covered most of her, leaving only her head.

Elaria was sitting outside, looking up at the stars before she turned her gaze towards Athrodar who slowly closed the door behind him. "You're not coming out here to try and seduce me now, are you?"

Athrodar couldn't help but laugh. "No, I just came outside to get some air."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You do realise I know you don't breathe." Athrodar looked away embarrassed as she called his bluff. "I presume you two had an eventful night, judging by what I walked in on."

He looked back at the door, smiling a little. "Could say it was one hell of an apology."

Elaria got to her feet. "I hope that's not all it was." She took a couple steps towards him. "She loves you dearly Athrodar."

He looked at the floor. "I know she does."

"Then what are you doing? Clearly your heart and mind aren't in the same place."

He sighed. "I know that as well."

"Then you need to get that sorted before you hurt her some more. Whether or not you decide to be with her will change our friendship. If that's for better or for worse is up to you."

Before he could reply to her, Elaria had already gone back inside, leaving him alone in the night. He looked over towards the ledge that held the Scourge, figuring he could clear his head if he lopped off several of theirs.

When he finally reached the top of it, he let out a frustrated groan. The Scourge that had supposedly been stationed up there had now moved out, leaving behind several summoning runes and half constructed buildings. He began to search the area, trying to find some trace of Scourge activity here that would give him an idea on where they went.

He looked for ten minutes before giving up, only to spin around on his heel, nocking an arrow into his bow when he heard movement behind him, relaxing his bow arm when he saw Elaria and Thalina walking up to him. "What are you two doing here?"

"You told us we're going to clear the Scourge that were here." Elaria sighed. "Unless you're now telling me you sent us up here for nothing."

Athrodar slung his bow over his shoulder, shaking his head as he looked at the now empty camp. "We all climbed up here for nothing. By the looks of it, they left at least a day ago." He pointed at the floor. "No tracks means the snowfall has covered them."

Thalina stood next to him, wrapping one arm around him and lightly pulling him back towards the Argent Tournament Grounds. "Come on, there's nothing we can do now but wait for the next assignment."

He began to walk back with her, Elaria already halfway down the hill that led them up there. He pulled her off to the side, Thalina smiling up at him when they were face to face. "Listen, Thal. About last night."

Her smile faded, shaking her head whilst placing a hand on his mouth. "I know, it was just a one time thing."

He moved her hand away. "I just have a lot on my mind right now, I got some things to sort out first before we take this any further, if we take this any further."

She got up onto her tiptoes, kissing him on the cheek. "Just know I'll be waiting for you, no matter how long you take."

He leaned down, resting his forehead on hers and closing his eyes. "Even if it takes years?"

"I've waited my whole life for you, I think I can wait another few years."

He laughed. "You've waited one hundred and forty-seven years?"

It was her turn to laugh. "Give or take one hundred years."

He opened his eyes, gazing into the glowing green orbs that were hers. "You need to stop blaming yourself for my death."

Her eyes widened a little. "How did you..."

"It wasn't your fault." He wiped away a tear that had fallen from her eyes, her mind replaying the memories of that day. "If it wasn't for you, we all would have died that day. You saved Elaria and Clara." He placed his hand on her stomach, feeling the faint hint of muscle she had there. "You also saved our child."

She wrapped both her arms around him, hugging him tightly. The cold chill of his body cancelled out by her warmth of life and the magic she uses to keep herself warm. "Thank you."

He was lucky he didn't need to breathe with how tight she was holding on to him. He placed a hand on her head, gently stroking her hair. "Come on, let's get you back inside before you freeze. I'm assuming you're not wearing anything underneath your robes again?" She buried her face in his chest, trying to stop herself from laughing. "I take that as a no."

They arrived back at the Argent Tournament Grounds several minutes later, Athrodar breaking off from them to find Tirion, climbing up the steps of the Arena that took him to the audience seats, not finding anyone in sight. He sat down on one of the many benches, looking up into the clouds and sighing, knowing he now had time to reflect on what has happened in the past month. Knowing he had to make a choice he didn't want to make.

His heart was telling him that he loved Lana'thel, the Blood-Queen being the one woman he couldn't stop thinking about since he had gotten his memories of her back. Whilst his mind told him she was now his enemy, being a Queen of the Scourge and serving under the man he had sworn to himself he would see dead.

He hated the idea of her being his enemy, knowing that if the time came for her to be killed, he would hesitate or even refuse to kill her if he was asked. He stood up from the bench, climbing down into the arena and began to pace. His mind replaying the conversation he just had with himself until out of frustration, he unhooked several throwing knives and launched them across the open space, watching them stick into a nearby training dummy. "Something troubling you?"

He span around to face the voice, spotting Liadrin who was leaning up against the entrance of the arena. "You have no idea."

"Try me." Athrodar began to fill her in on his situation, Liadrin remaining neutral as he mentioned everything that had happened in the past month, even when he spoke about Sylvanas and his time with her. Her face twitched a little when he began to speak about Thalina and the picture he came across, remembering the whole thing like it was yesterday. "You saw that?"

He smiled, looking down at the knife in his hand. "Yeah, I saw it." Glancing over to Liadrin, he noticed her smiling a little. "When did you arrive?"

She pushed herself off the wall, walking over to the training dummy he threw his knives at. "A few hours ago, I noticed you with Thalina and Elaria and figured things were better between you all. Judging by what you've told me, I'll take it as a yes."

Athrodar walked over to the training dummy, pulling out the knives he had thrown at it. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened in Dalaran, that wasn't me."

She punched his arm in a playful manner. "It's fine, I know it wasn't." She frowned at him when he nodded at her acceptance to his apology. "Sylvanas, really?"

He smirked at her. "What? Not many people can say they've slept with the Banshee Queen."

Liadrin shook her head. "She's dead, I don't think many people will want to." She watched him as he gestured to himself. "That's a good point." She looked around the arena. "What are you doing here anyway? Other than to throw knives at this dummy."

"I was looking for Tirion, you haven't seen him have you?"

"As a matter of fact I have." She threw an arm around his shoulders. "Come, let me take you to him."

They both left the arena, Liadrin dragging him along to where she last saw Tirion, running into Thalina in the middle of the camp. "Li Li!" She ran at Liadrin, jumping and knocking her to the floor.

Athrodar looked down, grinning at the pair of them. "Li Li?"

Thalina squeezed Liadrin in a tight hug, the Blood Knight Matriarch trying to sit up but was pinned down by the elf latching onto her. She looked up towards Athrodar who had both eyebrows raised at the use of her nickname. "It's a nickname she has given me, in return I get to teach your daughter about the light."

"If she has an affinity to the light." Thalina replied.

Liadrin smirked at her, "When she has an affinity to the light."

Thalina rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the paladin. "Have you been bathing her in the light whilst I was gone?"

Athrodar offered Liadrin a hand, pulling her up to her feet. "I guess that would be the most effective way to get her leaning more towards the light than anything else."

Liadrin extended out a hand in his direction. "Thank you! See, he gets it."

Thalina folded her arms, facing away from them and pouting. "That's it, take her side."

Liadrin placed her hands on her hips, giving off a mighty pose. "Because he knows I'm right."

Thalina crouched down, picking up some snow whilst Liadrin was distracted, moulding it into a ball and throwing it at her. Liadrin gasped as the snowball hit her face, some of it seeping through her armour and contacting her skin. Athrodar began to laugh when she chased Thalina through the camp, trying to get her revenge. "I'll let you two catch up, I'm off to find Tirion."

Athrodar waited for a reply only to get none as they both ran out of sight. He smiled, shaking his head whilst he began to head off towards what he believed to be Tirion's living quarters. He avoided the curious stares he got from some of the new recruits, all of which hadn't been informed of his presence, so seeing a ranger dressed in black amongst crusaders dressed in Argent colours looked out of place.

He stopped just outside the building Tirion was housed in, hearing him discuss a supposed attack on a nearby Scourge fortress, one he had recently come across. Aldur'thar. He opened the door and walked in, Tirion looking up from a map that was located in the middle of the room. "Ah good, you're here. I was just about to send someone to come get you."

"Highlord." Athrodar bowed his head, quickly scanning the map and noticing the placement of forces directly around Aldur'thar. "So you mean to attack the Desolation Gate?"

"Precisely that, yes." Tirion placed more statues on the map, this time red and blue knights for the Alliance and Horde, dotting them around Ymirheim. "What do you know of this 'Desolation Gate'?"

"Enough to know it's going to be tough. She's a well fortified stronghold, recently had reinforcements sent to her as well as a mountainous terrain behind it, allowing very little chance to get a flanking attack on her." Athrodar placed a couple more statues on Aldur'thar, giving everyone present the opportunity to see how well fortified it was. He also removed some Argent Crusade statues, as well as Ebon Blade statues to really show how outnumbered they were.

Tirion rubbed his chin, looking over the more updated version of the map. "We're going to need all the help we can get, aren't we?"

Athrodar nodded, looking over to Ymirheim and moving some of the Horde and Alliance soldiers over to Aldur'thar. "We will need air support, which I believe both of these two can give us. The Alliance have the Wildhammer gryphon riders, whilst the Horde can give air support with a gunship." He removed a Scourge statue from Ymirheim, noticing there were more there than needed. "Most of their best soldiers are taken to the Citadel, leaving this camp pretty much defenceless."

"We will need a rider to get to them and inform them on our plan."

Athrodar removed one of his swords, placing it down on the map. "Send me, I am the fastest rider you've got and I know this terrain better than anyone."

Tirion waved him off. "Go, ride fast and stay true. We will start the assault in a week."

Athrodar picked up his sword, placing it on his back. "Good luck Highlord." He left shortly after, arriving at the stables and mounting his horse, quickly leaving the Argent Tournament Grounds without stopping to say goodbye to Thalina, the thought never crossing his mind.

* * *

Four days had passed since he departed from the Argent Tournament Grounds, arriving at the Alliance outpost the day before, informing them on the plan before making his way towards the Horde camp on the opposite side of Ymirheim. He jumped off his horse whilst it was still slowing to a halt, jogging into the command tent and finding Sylvanas and Saurfang going over their plans for Ymirheim.

Sylvanas glanced up briefly to acknowledge him, looking back down at the map before doing a double take. "Athrodar, I'm surprised to see you here so soon."

"I'm not here to lend aid, I'm here to ask for it."

Saurfang grunted, walking over towards him. "What are you planning up there to come ask for our help?"

Athrodar pulled down his hood, knowing it would make him look like he's telling them everything, hiding nothing from them. "We need air support when we assault Aldur'thar, something the Argent Crusade and the Ebon Blade are severely lacking."

Saurfang nodded. "We have wyvern riders we can offer you."

Athrodar frowned at the offer. "With all due respect, we were hoping to use your gunship. The Alliance are sending gryphon riders but we still need the big guns to punch through their lines."

Saurfang paced around the table, inspecting the map of Icecrown that was placed on it. "The Alliance have given you the air riders you asked for, but you still need a gunship, correct?"

"Correct."

He glanced over to Sylvanas who watched on with an expressionless stare. "Very well, you can have it." He faced Sylvanas fully now. "Take her with you. Her Dark-Rangers could be of use to you, their skills in infiltration could be useful if you wish to cause damage to their back lines."

She glared at the old orc. "I'm not some common soldier you can command to be deployed wherever you so wish." She glanced over to Athrodar who was busy inspecting their map. She sighed. "But if it will help speed this campaign up and bring us one step closer to killing Arthas, I will go."

Saurfang placed his arm in front of her when she looked to leave, Athrodar already outside and making his way towards the gunship. "Don't get distracted by that Scourge Princeling Sylvanas."

"What are you talking about Saurfang?"

He grunted, letting out a small chuckle. "I've seen the way you look at him, the way he looks at you. What you two do together in your private time is none of my concern, but if it interferes with the siege on Aldur'thar, it may cost the lives of countless soldiers."

Her glare returned to Saurfang, renewed by his bold claims. "I don't know what you're talking about, _orc_ , my focus is purely on the task at hand, there's nothing that can distract me from seeing Arthas' kingdom fall."

He watched her walk out the tent. "Make sure there isn't."

Sylvanas marched through the Horde camp, Clea falling into step beside her when she saw her Queen. "My Lady, what's the situation?"

She glanced over to her Dark Ranger-General. "We're heading up north to help the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade. Gather your Rangers, we're leaving on the gunship in an hour."

Clea bowed to her Queen, walking off towards her rangers barracks. She stopped after a few steps, turning around to face her Queen. "Will Athrodar be joining us on the trip over?" Sylvanas turned her gaze towards the former Prince, Clea following it and coming to the conclusion on her own. "Oh."

Sylvanas studied Clea's reaction, shaking her head and walking over towards Athrodar, leaving Clea to gather everyone. She stood next him, scanning the area around them and finding out they were alone. She leaned on him slightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Welcome back."

He rolled his shoulder, forcing Sylvanas to move her head. "I have not come back for you, Lady Windrunner. As I said earlier, I have come to ask for reinforcements for when we attack Aldur'thar."

She walked around him until they were face to face, pulling him closer by his belt. "Are we being formal now? Well... if that's how you want to play this, Prince Athrodar..." She leaned in close to him, her mouth opening slightly the closer she got.

Athrodar moved back slightly, the Banshee Queen stopping her movements to frown at him. "I'm not a Prince, nor do I wish to keep my name tied to that title."

Sylvanas moved her arms up and around his neck, gazing into his eyes. "Your titles will follow you for the rest of your life, the sooner you learn to live with that, the less of a burdon it will be on you."

He pulled her arms off him, climbing the steps to the gunship that awaited them, stopping midway up them to face Sylvanas. "We have a mission of high importance to do, I can't afford the distractions Sylvanas and neither can you."

She watched him climb the remaining steps up to the gunship, glaring at his back the whole time. Twice now she had been told he was a distraction to her in less than an hour, something deep down she knew to be true but was ignoring the voices telling her so. Clea returned to her with all the Dark Rangers they had brought with them to Northrend. "I have gathered everyone my Queen." She watched her carefully, noticing she was in one of her moods again. "Is everything alright my Lady?"

"Everything's fine!" She snapped at her, climbing the steps to the gunship shortly after.


	31. Chapter 31

**The fight at Aldur'thar**

"Fire!" The sound of artillery ringing out as the word was commanded, giant fiery boulders as well as cannon balls hit the unending ranks of the Scourge, sending ghouls and skeletons flying in all directions. Abominations being torn apart by the catastrophic force of the cannon balls hitting them square in the gut, splitting them in half as they passed through them like a hot knife through butter. Geists began to clamber over the fallen Scourge, rushing forward to meet the Crusaders who had set up a defensive position to fend off their rush tactics whilst the Ebon Blade charged into their side with cavalry.

There was a brief moment of silence before the scraping of bone on steel, several geists throwing themselves at the awaiting spears and swords, hammers and axes. The Argent shield wall was pushed back several yards by the force of their charge, only to slowly make back ground by slaying the leaping minions. The Ebon Blade cavalry were performing hammer and anvil tactics, charging down a steep hill and crashing into the western flank of the Scourge, only to pull back and do it again, slowly eating away at their lines.

Necromancers were placed on the walls of Aldur'thar, raising more undead minions to call into battle, with every fallen Argent Crusader came the rise of a Scourge minion. Mages began to conjure fire to throw at the Scourge, incinerating them on contact and reducing them to nothing more than ash, rendering them useless for reanimation.

The shield wall created by the Argent Crusade had broken apart, as one slamming their shields against the ghouls that had joined the fight, pushing them back a couple feet before charging into them to engage in combat fully. Tirion led the charge on the ground, raising the legendary blade Ashbringer high into the air, the sun breaking through the clouded sky and bouncing off the sword, blinding several Scourge minions before they fell to the blades of the Crusaders.

The Highlord looked up into the sky when he heard the screeching of gryphon's before the thundering clap of the Wildhammer riders, launching bolts of lightning at the scourge ranks below. Their magnificent beasts began to dive down from the clouds, extending their talons out below them as they glided through their ranks, cutting down any Scourge with their armoured claws. They engaged the gargoyles that were flying above the ground forces as well, the Wildhammer dwarves throwing their storm hammers at them and shattering the stone beasts into pieces.

The thundering sound of cannon fire came from above them as out of the clouds loomed the Horde gunship that Athrodar had promised, firing volley after volley at Aldur'thar and the Scourge army below. The gunship hovered above the fortress as ropes were thrown down, followed by several Dark Rangers along with Sylvanas and Athrodar sliding down them, landing in the fortress itself and firing arrows into the backs of the necromancers that were reanimating the dead.

They quickly began to make a path through what little forces were defending the walls, heading towards the entrance to the fortress in hopes to cut down the overlord of Aldur'thar. The gunship above moved away from the fortress as it was being swarmed by gargoyles, retreating back into the clouds to lose the stone bats before coming back around to continue firing volleys into the numerous ranks of undead.

Athrodar and Sylvanas, along with Clea and her Dark Rangers made it to a set of twin doors that would lead them deeper into the fortress. They all had their bows drawn, shooting down any gargoyles that spotted them from the air before they could get to them. Sylvanas glanced over to one of her rangers. "Anya, get the door."

She moved quickly to the set of twin doors, unable to push them open by herself until Clea gave her a hand along with Kalira. The great creaking sound coming from the doors as they were slowly pushed open alerted some of the undead inside, several abominations came bounding down the narrow corridor towards them, the closest one to them launching a chained hook towards the rangers, catching one of them before dragging her into the giant meat cleaver that awaited her.

Athrodar swung his blade around to aim it at them, a trail of ice shooting out from it as soon as his blade was facing them, rushing across the floor to ensnare the abominations in place. Sylvanas along with her Dark Rangers and Athrodar fired volley after volley at them, toppling each and every one of them until they were no more. Athrodar sighed as he looked down the corridor. "Now we have the issue of climbing over them all."

The fighting outside was going in favour of the living, the Argent Crusade cavalry arriving from the east and causing significant damage to them, just like their Ebon Blade counterparts on the western flank, leaving the Scourge boxed in between their fortress and the approaching armies. "Send these foul creatures back into darkness!" Roared Tirion, charging forward into more of the Scourge. The Argent Crusaders rallied to him, chanting their own war cries. "For the Light! For the fallen of Lordaeron!"

As the crusader's charged in, the paladins amongst them had a burst of light pour out of them, growing golden wings of holy power and renewing their energy, their faith lending them strength as they clashed with the Scourge once more, led by Highlord Tirion and Lady Liadrin, who was fighting alongside him. The crusader's on horseback had a similar effect, their golden wings healing any cuts they may have sustained as well as their mount's, giving their steeds a burst of speed and allowing for a deadly charge.

Blood and ichor stained the battlefield as countless Scourge and crusaders as well as the Death Knights of the Ebon Blade fell in the ensuing battle that raged around them. Tirion as well as a few of his strongest crusader's along with Liadrin and Thalina were cutting through the Scourge ranks quicker than they could be replaced, carving a passage through the middle of the undead army and slowly splitting them in two.

The further in they got, the more crusader's joined the push, allowing them to create two smaller armies to fight, surrounding either one from both sides and cutting them down quicker. Mages continued to incinerate the undead, as well as the paladins who's weapons were now imbued with the light, burning away the remaining flesh that the Scourge had. Tirion swung the Ashbringer in giant arcs, sending forth waves of holy light towards his enemies, stopping them dead in their tracks.

Thalina stuck by Liadrin's side along with Elaria, the Magister using a spellblade that was gifted to her by her father before departing for Northrend. It was of elven make and had a piece of her family forged into the blade, so they could fight with her whilst she battled the foes that sacked her homeland. She had enchanted the blade with fire as well, burning any Scourge that came into contact with it as well as conjuring some spells of her own to throw at them.

Athrodar, Sylvanas and Clea along with her Dark Rangers had pushed further into the fortress, coming face to face with several Scourge and slaughtering them on sight, sustaining minor injuries and no casualties. They were met with another set of twin doors after clearing out the last of the Scourge, Athrodar sensing dark magic's coming from within. "I believe the overlord resides within this room. Stay on guard for I do not know what they are capable of."

They all had their bows drawn and arrows nocked, Athrodar kicking open the door, bursting through them and kneeling down, the rest of them staying behind whilst Athrodar was scanning the dark room he had now found himself in. "Come out worm and face your end!" Sylvanas' taunt was met with an evil cackle.

"My my, it appears the Prince has found himself on the wrong side of this war once more." The voice echoed around the room, making it difficult for them to pinpoint the location of its owner. "How is that Magister of yours? I haven't seen her since our little outing in Southern Quel'Thalas."

Athrodar's eyes widened slightly as he remembered the day he was talking about, the day Thalina was taken into the Ghostlands, tortured and left for dead, only to be collected sometime after and raised into a minion of the Scourge. Just as he was. Except he had found her before she could be taken from this world. "Unless I'm mistaken, _necromancer_ , we've pushed through into Icecrown and laid siege to your precious fortress." He stood up and began to walk into the middle of the room, all the while scanning his surroundings. "Come on out Zera'tul, show us what _gifts_ the Lich King has bestowed upon you."

The doors to the room were slammed shut, everyone apart from Athrodar being locked out by some sort of magic. Sylvanas slammed on the door with her fist, frustration and rage coursing through her as she was cut off from the necromancer. "Athrodar, the door is locked by some sort of magic! You need to find a way to silence him and allow us entry into the room."

Smoke whipped around the edges of the room, coalescing in front of Athrodar to form the necromancer Zera'tul. "So, we find each other alone at last, _My Prince._ Perhaps now I can kill and raise you, just like you had done to me out of frustration all those times you needed _my_ help."

Athrodar began to walk around the necromancer, sizing him up and trying to get a sense of how powerful he was now compared to their last meeting. "You think I was frustrated? Hah! You were just so much fun to kill and reanimate I couldn't help but repeat the process several times."

Zera'tul fell for the taunt, launching a ball of shadow towards Athrodar to which he easily dodged, firing an arrow back at him in return, only to have it shatter into dust as it neared him. "Your foolish arrows won't pierce my flesh, not with my new found power." He moved a hand in front of his face, conjuring a blue flame for Athrodar to see.

Athrodar recognised it as the blue flames the frost wyrm's would spit out, instead of burning their victims it would freeze them in an instant. "Cute trick, but if you really want to see power..." His eyes began to shine brightly, his voice deepening as well as the room beginning to have snow form inside. "... You will have to do better than that!" He reached out his arm, shadow tendrils flying out of his fingertips and wrapping themselves around the necromancer's throat before dragging him towards Athrodar.

Zera'tul noticed the blade Athrodar had unsheathed from his back, pointing it towards where he was going to end up. Before he was impaled however, he teleported behind the prince, leaving a brief but thick black smog behind, blinding Athrodar momentarily and giving him the opportunity to launch another ball of shadow towards him, this time watching it connect with his back and sending him several feet across the room. "You're slowing down Prince Athrodar, perhaps being impaled by Frostmourne twice does that to you."

Athrodar slammed his fist into the floor, ice shooting up from around him as the force froze the immediate impact zone whilst the sheer power of it created a small crater underneath him. He swung his arm around in a sweeping motion, freezing the necromancer's feet to the floor. "Looks like you're no faster than I am, _lackey_. _"_ He bounded towards Zera'tul who was still frozen in place, leaping into the air as his sword connected with the ground, the necromancer teleporting a few feet away again.

He cackled once more, sending a couple more balls of shadow towards him, Athrodar quickly moving left then right, dodging them as he ran closer to him. "You will try to strike me down and you will fail once more!" He teleported away once again, frustrating Athrodar some more. "Your temper seems to be flaring, are you sure you're rid of... Argh!" Athrodar threw a handful of knives towards him, the necromancer too caught up in his gloating that he didn't see them coming.

Athrodar smirked when they connected with the necromancer, running towards his bow and sliding across the floor on his knees as another ball of shadow was launched towards him. He picked it up, spinning around on one knee to face the necromancer and firing a frost empowered arrow towards him, the necromancer unable to shatter it like he did the last. "What happened Zera'tul? I thought my arrows couldn't pierce your flesh."

Zera'tul stumbled backwards, falling onto one knee but still holding up his spell on the door, not allowing Sylvanas and her dark rangers entry to the room. "Your Banshee Queen seems a little lonely out there.. Perhaps I should give her some company." He extended one hand out towards the door, reanimating the recently slain Scourge back to life. "Those slain undead do come in handy when you have a necromancer nearby."

Athrodar stood in front of Zera'tul, grabbing him by the throat with one hand and lifting him up until his feet were off the ground, freezing his throat so he couldn't cast any more. "You have slipped up Zera'tul." He threw the necromancer across the room, watching him hit the floor and slide along it until he crashed into a wall. He began to walk over towards him once again, his hands free of any weapons. "Your life ends here."

Zera'tul hunched over, spitting up black blood and wiping it away with his sleeve. "You may win this battle, but the war is far from over!" He swung at Athrodar with his left fist, the former Prince grabbing hold of his arm and breaking it in two. The necromancer didn't scream in pain, instead swinging at Athrodar with his right fist, the former Prince moving out the way of it, kneeing him in the gut and sending a right hook across the necromancer's face, knocking him to the floor once again.

The doors to the room burst open as Sylvanas, Clea and her Dark Rangers moved back to get more space as the remaining Scourge were cut down in a matter of seconds. The Banshee Queen span around to find Athrodar holding up Zera'tul by the throat once more, placing a dagger just under his chin. "Tell Arthas, we're coming for him." He pushed the dagger deep into the necromancer's skull, watching it pierce through the roof of his mouth and sinking deep into his brain. All the while black blood began to pour out of his mouth and onto Athrodar's hand.

The remaining Scourge in the fortress all collapsed to the ground, their master no longer keeping them animated. Sylvanas turned to her Dark Ranger-General. "Report to Tirion, tell him we have cut off the head of the snake." Clea nodded, most of her Dark Rangers following her whilst the few that remained set up a defensive position around the room. She made her way to Athrodar, placing a hand on his back as she looked at the lifeless body of Zera'tul. "Are you okay?"

Athrodar closed his eyes as they began to return to normal, sighing deeply as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He dropped down to his knees, placing a hand over his face and laughing uncontrollably. "Actually, I feel fantastic. This bastard has been a thorn in my side for years, it feels good to be rid of him."

Sylvanas sent the rest of her Dark Rangers away, leaving her alone with Athrodar. Except it wasn't to start anything with him that would end with them in each others arms, instead she wanted to talk to him privately. She crouched down next to him, staring at the side of his face as he thought back on that time in Southern Quel'Thalas and how he almost lost Thalina. "There is still something there between the two of you, isn't there?"

"Did you know I almost forgot about that day he mentioned earlier." He watched her from the corner of his eye, noticing her shake her head. "Several times that day had slipped from memory, only to be refreshed in my mind whenever she would look at me a certain way." He smiled slightly. "The look of adoration in her eyes, the same look she gave me when I rescued her from the abandoned house we found her chained up in." His smile faded just as quickly as it had appeared. "I almost lost her that day. I promised myself that I would kill the man responsible, only to have him capture me and take me to Arthas."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, figuring he needed some sort of comfort to which he didn't reject. "That didn't answer my question though."

He smirked. "It was a build up to it. To answer your question in one word? No. Do I love her? Yes, I can say that I still do, even after all I've been through, but not like I used to. There will always be a place in my heart for her, but I don't think she can fully claim it for herself, not after everything that has happened."

Sylvanas glanced over to the set of doors, spotting Clea returning to her. "Come on, let's get out of here." She got up onto her feet, pulling Athrodar up as well, both of them walking towards Clea who was waiting for her patiently. "What's the situation like out there?"

Clea kept a straight face, looking at the pair of them before a smile slowly crept across it. "They are victorious, my Queen." Sylvanas watched her Dark Ranger-General closely, not buying for a second that she was keeping in her enthusiasm at their victory. Just as she was about to speak, Clea burst forward, throwing herself at her Queen in a big hug, Sylvanas quickly prying the ranger off her and handing her over to Athrodar who didn't seem too thrilled he now had her wrapped around him.

Sylvanas left the room to meet up with the rest of her rangers, leaving Athrodar with her Dark Ranger-General and her less than formal ways of celebrating. He pulled her off him, holding her at arms length until she calmed down, staring at him briefly before looking away, not wanting to share eye contact with him. He grinned at her. "Still don't trust me, do you?"

Her eyes remained focused on the floor, even when she replied to him. "No, I don't. But you make my Queen happy, which in turn makes our lives easier, so I have allowed you to remain close to her when you... visit."

He chuckled at her reluctance to look at him, also taking in her words as a thank you. He gave her a gentle pat on the arm as he walked past. "It's good to see you again Clea."

She smiled as he walked past her, quickly wiping it off her face as she span around to face him. "It's... It's Dark Ranger-General Clea to you!"

He placed up two fingers and a thumb, moving his hand in a way to say he understands. "If you say so, _Clea_."

* * *

Several of the Argent Crusaders had collapsed onto the floor, taking in the victory they had won this day by chatting with their fellow Crusader's, all laughing and joking whilst being surrounded by the thousands of lifeless Scourge minions. Thalina and Liadrin sat back to back, both of them had their eyes closed as they were taking it all in, Elaria standing over them and scanning the area, looking for something to fight. "Come on! I wanted a real challenge!"

Liadrin shook her head, unhooking her water bottle from her belt and taking a sip before offering it to Thalina. "Does she ever rest?"

Thalina took a sip from the bottle. "Not that I have seen. The only time she stops fighting is to have something to eat, yet the only time she stops eating is because she has something to fight."

Elaria glanced down to the two Sin'dorei sitting directly below her. "You know I _can_ hear you."

Thalina let out a small laugh. "Well am I wrong?"

Elaria narrowed her eyes at nobody in particular, staring off into the distance all the same. "No... But that's not the point. I don't like you talking about me unless it's to say how awesome I am."

Thalina turned her head slightly towards Liadrin. "Oh and she's humble, if you didn't figure that one out."

Liadrin nodded. "I didn't, thanks for telling me."

Elaria rolled her eyes. "I'm leaving."

Thalina watched her walk away, too busy laughing to stop her. "Come back, I'm sorry!" Her sincerity was lost however when tears began to roll down her face. She turned her gaze towards the fortress, spotting the Dark Rangers and a body they were carrying. She narrowed her eyes, staring at them from afar, gasping when she realised who they were carrying.

Liadrin turned her head towards her the best she could. "What is it?"

Thalina grit her teeth in anger at the dead necromancer, shooting up to her feet whilst her fists were engulfed in flames and slowly making its way up her arms. "That's the necromancer that almost took my life back in Southern Quel'Thalas." The flames had taken up both her arms and started spreading towards her chest.

Liadrin noticing this, quickly moved towards her, placing both her hands on her face so she would look directly at her and not the body of Zera'tul. "Thal, if that is him, he's dead, Okay? He's dead and he won't harm you any more."

Thalina relaxed into her arms. "He's dead..." She began to laugh. "He's dead..." She laughed some more, falling to the floor and dragging Liadrin down with her, the Blood Knight Matriarch frowning at her friend. Her laughs turned into cries of relief, placing her hands on her head whilst wiping away the tears. "He's dead."

The Horde gunship flew low to the fortress, a rope ladder being thrown over the edge and landing in front of the Dark Rangers. Athrodar glanced down to Zera'tul's body. "Throw him over the wall, let him rot with the rest of his kind." He watched as a couple of Dark Ranger's willingly threw him over the wall, enjoying the sound he made when he hit the ground. He waved over to the ladder. "Let's get out of here."


	32. Chapter 32

**An Unusual Confession**

The Horde gunship was making its way back to Ymirheim and the Horde encampment stationed nearby. Sylvanas was in the captain's cabin, given to her by the captain as a means of privacy so she could carry on running Undercity even if she's in Northrend. She was distracted however by a nagging feeling in her gut, something Athrodar had said back at Aldur'thar that had caught her attention, something she needed to get off her chest.

The Banshee Queen left the cabin, walking across the gunship and finding Athrodar leaning over the side, watching as Ymirheim and the Lich King's Citadel got closer to them with every passing second. She leaned on the railing next to him, watching a couple frost wyrm's glide around aimlessly below them. "You looked like you needed company."

He glanced over to her, noticing she was looking off into the distance. "I could say the same to you. Something is clearly on your mind."

"You were right, by the way."

Athrodar frowned at her. "About what?"

"I was only attracted to your power and not to you personally."

He smirked, bumping his shoulder against hers. "See, I told you. Maybe now you'll be less distracted."

She shook her head, turning around so she was leaning on her side, facing him completely. "No you misunderstand, I _was_ only attracted to your power. But after your sacrifice in Naxxramas, I felt a small void open up inside me, one that I tried to fill by bringing you back to Dalaran, only to have you escape from us once more."

Athrodar pushed himself off the side of the gunship, turning around to face her, catching a glimpse of Clea in the background watching them from afar. "What are you saying?"

She placed a hand on his arm, looking at his chest before replying to him. "What I'm saying is I do want you to fight by my side Athrodar. I'm not asking for your incredible power, I'm asking for you." Her eyes shifted up to his now. "It's like you said when we first met, we want the same things you and I." She stepped closer to him. "Together we can get whatever it is we desire."

Athrodar stepped closer to her, their bodies almost touching. "And what is it you desire Sylvanas?" He whispered, all the while noticing Clea was standing closer to them in order to hear what they were saying.

She placed both hands on his waist, pulling herself as close as she could to him, her eyes never leaving his, flashing with desire when their faces were inches apart. "You." Without waiting any longer, she closed the final couple of inches between them, kissing him hard and out in the open, not caring for a second if she was spotted by anyone.

Athrodar pulled away slightly, laughing a little when he saw Clea's shocked expression in the distance. "I believe your Ranger-General is watching us."

Sylvanas turned her head around to look at Clea from the corner of her eyes, sighing a little when her Ranger-General averted her gaze. "She still doesn't trust you. I will have a word with her soon."

"No, it's fine. I've spoken to her already." He smirked at Sylvanas. "She said I make you happy. Turns out, you're not fun to be around if I'm not here."

Sylvanas pushed herself off him. "She said that?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "That's not why you're here, is it?"

"No, I am here to keep away from the Magister. My staying there will make things more complicated than they need to be." He looked down at the gap between them. "Who knows, if I stay here, I may be tempted into taking up your offer."

She pulled herself closer to him once more. "Two things. One, I will get you to take me up on my offer, I guarantee it." She kissed him. "And two, you will have to face that Magister of yours again soon as she will be there for when we assault the Citadel. What will you do then?"

"I suppose I'd have to make sure she survives the rest of this war so she can return home to our daughter." He pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "And another thing, you will have to try harder than that to get me to accept your offer."

"Do I now?" She grinned at him, slowly moving her hands to his shoulder pads in an attempt to take off his cloak. She unclipped one, moving her hands to the other when a bell rang out from the helm of the gunship, the Captain announcing their arrival to Ymirheim. She let out a frustrated groan. "You have got to be kidding me."

Athrodar wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace whilst laughing at the timing of it all. "Maybe next time, my Lady."

She held onto him tightly. "Maybe I can take you back to my place and finish this off there..."

"Hah, take me back to your place. I'm afraid not, I will have to report in to Saurfang as soon as we land, seeing as he is the commander of the camp." He kissed the top of her head. "Again, maybe next time."

She pouted. "If Thrall had given me command of the Horde in Icecrown, I'd have ordered you to stay by my side for the rest of the campaign."

Athrodar grinned. "Thank the heavens he didn't. That would be a waste of good resources if I were to do nothing but stay attached to your hip."

"I suppose we wouldn't get anything done if I were left in charge..."

Athrodar chuckled at the idea, nodding in agreement. "I suppose you're right. Although if I do accept your proposition, you will have to lead your people whilst I'm there. You can't let me distract you." He watched as the gunship came to a halt, landing at the docking tower. He pulled Sylvanas off him until she was at arms length. "Like I said back at the Vanguard, I'll see you when I see you." He began to move, walking past Clea who made a big deal out of not eavesdropping on them. "I'll see you soon as well, Ranger-General."

She poked her tongue out at him, walking over to her Queen once he was out of sight. "Are you ready to leave, My Lady?" Sylvanas shook her head at her Dark Ranger-General, rolling her eyes and walking into the Captain's cabin to get her things before finally getting off the gunship.

* * *

Athrodar found Saurfang in the middle of Ymirheim, standing over the captured Vrykul warriors who had surrendered to them. In the distance he could see Jaina and the Dwarf she entered the Argent Vanguard with, one he had known as Muradin Bronzebeard, Arthas' former mentor who was supposedly killed when he took up Frostmourne. "I'd say celebrations are in order, High Overlord."

Saurfang grunted. "Celebrate if you must, I won't partake in such things until I have recovered my son from Arthas' clutches."

Athrodar's normally joking nature had been put on pause, knowing that it was not the time for such a thing. "I am sorry for what happened to your boy, Varok. Truly I am. He was a strong and skilled warrior, he even bested me when we met on the battlefield." He smiled a little. "His ancestors would be proud."

"Your words are kind, Captain. I appreciate them." Saurfang saluted him, pounding his fist on his chest and walking towards the Horde camp, Athrodar following close behind.

"High Overlord, if I may."

Saurfang stopped walking, turning to face Athrodar. "I have a feeling you would ask even if I said no, so go on."

He smirked at the High Overlord, knowing he was correct in his assumption. "I am opting to stay with the Horde for now, until we get closer to the Citadel. So if there are any tasks that you need me to do, I will gladly take them."

"Hmm..." Saurfang began to rub his chin in deep thought. "I can't think of anything we need doing right now, we're going to hold up until both the Argent Crusade and Ebon Blade are ready to move before we start anything."

Athrodar sighed. "There's nothing at all? Not even a simple scouting mission?"

Saurfang chuckled at his eagerness to do something. "I'm afraid not. Just be patient, Highlord Fordring will start to mobilize again soon."

"Damn it..." He bowed to Saurfang. "If anything does pop up, let me know."

"You'll be the first to know." Saurfang slammed his fist against his chest, walking away from the former Prince once more.

* * *

"What do you mean he's not here? Where could he have gone!"

Liadrin placed up both her hands, trying to calm down the Magister who was pacing the battlefield. "Look, he probably went with the Horde gunship to report back to High Overlord Saurfang. He will return, I'm sure of it."

"If he went with the Horde, that means..." Her eyes widened a little, quickly spinning around to face Liadrin. "He went back with Sylvanas, he's out there _with Sylvanas."_ Her mind thought back to the last time she saw him, Liadrin being present with him at the time. She grabbed the Blood Knight Matriarch by her under shirt. "What did you speak to him about?"

Liadrin looked at her with a shocked expression, not expecting Thalina to accuse her of anything. "Thal, what are you thinking? I didn't say anything that would drive him away."

Elaria sat by, watching their argument play out, not wanting to get involved as she knew how scary Thalina got when she was mad. That was until they had both switched to Thalassian, their native tongue and one Elaria didn't understand. "Oh come on! It's no fun if I don't understand you." Thalina shot her a fiery glare, Elaria actually being able to see flames within her eyes. "You know, I think I heard Tirion call for me." She got up from her spot, quickly running in any direction that would take her away from them.

Her glare turned to Liadrin, continuing their argument in their native tongue. "What did you talk to him about!"

"Nothing in particular, he caught me up on the situation between you, Sylvanas and this Lana'thel character. He then apologised for what happened in Dalaran, to which I brushed it off, knowing he meant nothing by his comments. He then asked me where Tirion was, so I went to take him there. That is all."

Thalina continued her glare for a few more seconds, the flames in her eyes dying out when she knew her friend to be telling the truth, letting go of her grip on her under shirt. Her head fell forward a little until her forehead rested on Liadrin's shoulder, the paladin patting her on her back to give her some sort of comfort. "He just left without saying goodbye."

Liadrin rubbed her back, trying to calm her down before she started crying. "Maybe he had to report in to Saurfang after he completed his task here. We will see him again before this war is over, I can promise you that." She continued to rub her back, stopping when she remembered something Athrodar said to her. "Do you really have a picture of me in your things?"

Thalina laughed against her shoulder, nodding her head slightly. "It's the only picture I have of everyone before this all started." She moved her head off Liadrin's shoulder, deciding to speak common once again. "That is, everyone apart from him."

Liadrin looked around, leaning in closer when she was sure nobody would hear. "How did I look in it?"

Thalina smirked. "Better than me, that's for sure."

She rolled her eyes at the Magister. "Well duh, obviously. It's me."

Thalina smacked her arm. "Hey! You're supposed to say 'No Thalina, I could never look better than you.' Not agree with me!"

Elaria slowly crept up on them, being cautious around Thalina when she was in touching distance. "Are we speaking normally now?"

Thalina smiled at her. "Yes we are. We're discussing the picture I have of all of us, you know, that time you all invaded my home when my daughter was only in this world for two weeks?"

Elaria thought back. "Ah yes, I remember that." She began to laugh. "That was the day Clara and I..." She noticed Thalina watching her carefully. "Never mind."

She stepped closer to Elaria, making her uncomfortable. "No tell me, what did you and Clara do?"

She shifted her eyes to the sky, not wanting to look at her when she said what she was going to say. "The day Clara and I... done it... in your home." She looked at both Liadrin and Thalina, the pair of them had shocked looks on their faces, Thalina having more disgust than shock.

Thalina pinched the bridge of her nose, not wanting to ask her next question but she had to know the answer to it. "Where?"

Elaria avoided their stares. "In the room next to the tree."

Liadrin shook her head whilst Thalina's hands flew up to her mouth. "My daughter sleeps in that room Elaria!"

Elaria clenched her fists into a ball, wishing she didn't come back to talk to them. "I know! I'm sorry!"

Liadrin narrowed her eyes at her. "You have a real problem, you know that."

Elaria looked at her embarrassed. "It was a heat of the moment thing, it only happened once!"

Thalina paced back and forth nearby, placing a hand over her forehead whilst talking to herself. "I'm going to have to burn everything in that room!"

Elaria watched her pace. "Come on! It's not _that_ bad!"

Liadrin folded her arms, looking at Elaria the whole time. "You two were naked in her child's room and you're saying it's not _that bad_."

Thalina carried on pacing. "I'm going to have to get whole new rugs and furniture... Maybe even repaint the walls!" She groaned in frustration. "This is going to take days!"

Elaria moved in front of Thalina, placing both her hands on her arms and stopping her from pacing. "Thal, is there anything I can do so we can move past this?"

She stared at her for a few seconds, slowly smiling when an idea crossed her mind. She extended a hand out to her right, twisting it clockwise slightly and forming a portal next to her. "Go through it."

Elaria looked at the portal then back at her. "Where does that take me?" She asked, slight hesitation in her voice.

Thalina nodded towards the portal. "Go through it."

Elaria glanced back at Liadrin who nodded towards the portal as well. She took a big gulp, walking through the portal and landing in Eversong Woods, directly outside Thalina's home, the Magister walking through the portal seconds later. "What are we doing in Eversong? More precisely, why are we outside your house?"

Thalina placed both hands behind her back, rocking back and forth from her toes to her heels then back to her toes. "Juuuuust wait."

As if on cue, Thalina's mother, Driana Dawnstrider, opened the door, almost walking into the pair of them. She screamed in surprise, throwing a basket of flowers into the air at the same time. "Give a woman a heads up the next time you decide to drop by like this."

Thalina's eyes went wide as she didn't expect such a reaction, quickly picking up the many flowers that fell out of the basket as it hit the ground. "I'm sorry minn'da, I just needed to tell you something." She looked over to Elaria. "Actually, she did."

Elaria quickly realised what was going on, slowly walking backwards towards the portal that was still open. "No no no no, don't make me tell your mother! She doesn't know what I'm like yet, I can't destroy our relationship before it's even begun!"

Driana looked at the pair of them, not quite understanding what was going on. "Tell me what?"

Thalina narrowed her eyes at Elaria. "Tell her."

She sighed, lowering her head. "Clara and I had sex in your house... specifically your granddaughter's room."

Driana dropped the basket of flowers once more, throwing her hands up to her mouth to try and hide her shock. Thalina smiled in victory, kissing her mother on the cheek. "That's all I wanted you to know." She ran back to the portal, stopping just in front of it. "Love you minn'da, I'll be back soon!"

Liadrin stood by the portal, smirking at Thalina as she stepped through it, the portal closing soon after. "You made her tell your mother, didn't you?"

Thalina fell into step beside Liadrin. "She will no longer think of Elaria as a sweet innocent little Night Elf."

The Blood Knight Matriarch laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go find Tirion and report in."


	33. Chapter 33

**Court of Bones**

Athrodar sat on a bed, leaning up against a wall whilst Sylvanas sat on his lap, planting kisses along his neck whilst he sat there, deep in thought. "You know, it has been a week since we had taken Aldur'thar and Ymirheim, yet Tirion hasn't decided on our next move."

She carried on kissing him along his neck, stopping for a second before kissing his lips. "It's already been a week?" She looked over to her desk and noticed a big stack of reports that needed to be read and filled out. "I guess time really does fly when you're having fun."

Athrodar looked over towards her desk as well. "Shouldn't you start going through them?" He began to kiss her neck this time, moving down towards her chest, both of them wearing nothing from the waist up. "It could be important."

She sighed. "You're right." She climbed off him, crawling over towards the edge of the bed and stretching over the small gap between it and the desk, grabbing a handful of reports. She made her way back over towards him, sitting next to and handing him half of them.

He stared at them in his hand. "You making me go through the reports _you_ were supposed to go through?"

She looked down at the reports in his hand then up at him. "Yes."

He rolled his eyes, reading the first report on top. "You know I'm not apart of your council, or your army. I could be reading sensitive information."

Sylvanas leaned over. "And who are you going to tell?" She kissed his cheek.

"Oh I don't know, I'm sure King Varian would love to know you still have a problem with the Scarlet Crusade."

"You're not serious?" She took the report off of him, quickly scanning through it. Once she reached the bottom, she scrunched it up into a ball, burning it with shadow flame magic. "I told Nathanos to deal with these fanatics when I left!"

Athrodar began to scan through the rest of the reports, trying to find an update on the Scarlet situation. "Maybe it's been dealt with by now. That could be an old report."

She placed a hand on top of the reports he was quickly going through. "No, this was at the top, so it's the latest one."

He leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "So what are you going to do?"

She moved her head closer to him, resting it on his shoulder. "I'm going to have to go back to Undercity and deal with them myself." Her eyes shifted up to his, the pair of them gazing at each other. "Come back with me."

Athrodar smirked at her. "You know I can't." He placed both his hands on her face, giving her a long kiss. "I need to stay here and finish what we started." Another kiss.

He kissed her again, this time making her moan a little when he pulled away. "You're making leaving for Undercity more difficult than it needs to be." Athrodar didn't listen, starting to move down her neck, the Banshee Queen biting her bottom lip when he reached her breasts. "Are... Are you trying to keep me here?"

He stopped what he was doing, moving his head up to her eye level. "Why? Is it working?"

She grinned at him, pushing him back slowly until he was laying on the bed, climbing on top of him after. "Yes, but only because you can be _very_ persuasive." She threaded her fingers through his hair, grabbing onto a handful in each hand, pulling his head up to meet hers. Athrodar moved his hands down to her waist, slowly pulling down her leggings, the Banshee Queen pressing herself against him the further down he got.

When he got her leggings off, he sat up, spinning Sylvanas around and laying her on her back. She wrapped her legs around him whilst he began to take off his leggings, the whole time relentlessly kissing her. When he got his leggings off, Sylvanas wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her up, pushing her against the wall and thrusting himself deep inside her. She gasped as he entered her, biting down on his shoulder when he began to rock his hips.

Clea walked past her Queen's tent, hearing the familiar moans coming from within. When she realised what was happening, she glanced around, noticing nobody was paying much attention to what was happening inside, pinching the bridge of her nose as she began to walk away. "I need to stop walking past here when they're in there together." She muttered to herself.

* * *

A messenger arrived in the camp a few hours later, hopping off the gryphon he arrived on and running into Saurfang's command tent. He handed him a folded parchment, stamped with the symbol of the Argent Crusade that was addressed specifically to him. Varok unfolded the parchment, reading through its contents and looking back up to the crusader, nodding at him. "Take leave soldier, you will find food and drink in the barracks, my men have been ordered in advance to give you no grief, seeing as you're human."

The crusader bowed to him. "Many thanks, High Overlord."

Saurfang read through the parchment once more, looking towards his officers. "Get me Athrodar, I have a task for him."

An orc stepped forward, saluting his High Overlord. "I will find him for you and tell him it is of great importance."

Saurfang saluted back to the young orc. "Very well Sergeant Nazgrim. You will most likely find him with the Banshee Queen." Nazgrim began to walk out of the tent, Saurfang stopping him before he could leave. "Announce yourself before entering, you never know what those Elves may be up to."

Nazgrim saluted once more, making his way across camp towards Sylvanas' tent, Clea stopping him before he could enter. "What business do you have with my Queen?" He extended out the missive in his hand, Clea taking it and reading through its contents. "So Tirion plans to move out, yet my Queen is getting ready to return to Undercity to sort out matters of importance."

He took the missive back from her and folded it up. "I'm not here for your Queen, Saurfang has asked for Captain Athrodar. Is he in there?" He began to walk towards the tent.

"Yes he is, but you need to..." She tried to stop the young orc before he walked in, sighing to herself when the tent closed behind him. "... announce yourself."

As he entered the tent he scanned the inside of it, coming across Athrodar with Sylvanas sitting on his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist. Athrodar glanced over to the orc that loomed in his vision, breaking away from the kiss he and Sylvanas were sharing. "It appears we have a visitor."

Nazgrim stepped forward, handing him the missive whilst looking away from them, both Elves not wearing anything apart from the loosely covering bed sheet. "High Overlord Saurfang has asked for you personally."

Sylvanas took the missive off him, scanning the contents of it quickly. "They have a new target then. And it happens to be when I am to return to Undercity." She handed it to Athrodar, looking him in the eyes whilst he read the letter. "What do you know of this Court of Bones?"

Athrodar glanced over to Nazgrim waving him away. "Tell Saurfang I'll be with him shortly." The young orc bowed, walking out the tent and back towards the High Overlord. He moved to the side of the bed, standing up and walking over towards Sylvanas' desk, the whole time the Banshee Queen was holding on to him until he reached his destination, letting go of him and sitting on top of desk. "It's the Courtyard to a nearby fortress known as the Cathedral of Darkness."

She crossed one leg over the other, catching her cloak that was thrown across the room by Athrodar. "Does it look as beautiful as it sounds?"

He smirked, pulling up his leggings and throwing his tunic over his head, strapping on his boots after. "It's exactly like it sounds. The Court of Bones is their main reanimating area as well as where they construct their bone colossi. It only makes sense that we would attack that next, seeing as it's such a high priority target."

He continued to throw her clothes at her, the Banshee Queen catching each one and placing them on the desk next to her. "You sure you can do this without my help? I will be taking the majority of my Dark Rangers back with me."

Athrodar stood in front of her, placing a hand on her knee and slowly sliding it up her leg. "I'm sure I can cope without you distracting me every five minutes. Just like I'm sure you can clear out the Scarlet Crusade without my help." Sylvanas leaned in closer, moving in to kiss him. He backed away when she was close enough, looking at her lips. "You need to get ready to leave."

She pouted, jumping off her desk and pulling up her leggings, strapping on her boots shortly after. "I don't like it when you're being Captain Formal." She threw on her breastplate, struggling to do up the straps on her back. "There has to be an easier way to do this."

He chuckled, stepping behind her and doing up the straps to her breastplate. "There's always the way of celibacy, that would keep this on forever." He kissed her neck once he was finished. "Though I don't think you would enjoy that." He picked up her cloak, Sylvanas turning around to face him whilst he threw it around her, clipping it to her spaulders. "Now I'm sure you can pull up your hood on your own."

She smirked at him, pulling up his hood first. "That may be, but I will pull yours up first." She pulled on his hood, bringing him closer to her and giving him one last kiss before he left. "Now go, Saurfang is waiting." She patted his chest, pushing him a little towards his weapons.

He picked up his bow and quiver, two swords and belt, quickly making his way towards Saurfang's tent, placing both swords on his back along with his quiver, slinging his bow over his shoulder as well. As he entered the tent, he strapped on his belt, stopping in front of the command table as soon as he finished. "So you have a mission for me High Overlord?"

"Yes, what do you know of the Court of Bones?"

* * *

Athrodar crouched down behind a rock, looking down at the fortress with a spyglass and counting the many Scourge forces in the area. He scanned the area at the foot of the fortress, noticing a suspicious amount of Scourge grouped there. On closer inspection he realised they were Darkfallen and were standing around one of the San'layn, the wings giving away her position in the middle of them all.

He moved the spyglass away, grinning a little when he realised it was Lana'thel. "She's still alive..." He moved the spyglass back towards his face, looking at her closely through it, noticing she had a long cut down the side of her face as well as a hole in one of her wings. He grit his teeth in anger at the state she was in, looking a lot worse than she did at their last meeting. "Arthas, what have you done to her."

He turned his gaze towards the entrance to the fortress, spotting a group of crusader's that had been captured prior to his arrival, their hands tied up behind their backs whilst being pushed forward with spears, stopping in front of the Darkfallen and their Queen. He put away the spyglass, knowing what he had to do, as was his mission objective.

He began to slide down snowy hill he was sitting on top of, stopping at every rock before sliding down some more, trying to create as little of a distraction to their meeting as possible, reaching the icy ground below and sprinting towards the wall that went around the whole thing. He turned around to face the wall, stepping back a few feet before running at it, climbing up to the first outcropped brick before lifting himself up to the next, slowly making his way to the top of it.

Upon reaching the top of the wall, he scanned the rest of it, finding no guards to be patrolling it at this time, counting his lucky stars whilst making his way over to the other side of it, peering over to get a closer look at the meeting going on in front of him. "The Master has called for more reinforcements and to double your efforts on the bone colossi. He has word the living are moving on to this position next, so we need to be prepared."

"We will be ready, Blood-Queen, and as a gift, you may take all of these Crusader's, they no longer serve a purpose to anyone but yourself now." The lead necromancer pushed them forward once more, cackling when one of the stumbled down the steps of the fortress.

Athrodar climbed down from the wall, hastily running towards the western side of the fortress, pulling out his bow and nocking an arrow slowly, trying to avoid any noise that would give his location away. "The Master will be sending more forces down from the Citadel in two days, as will I. He has also commanded me to remain here when I return with more Darkfallen, I will take lead of the operations after that."

The necromancer bowed to her. "As you wish, Your Maj-"

Athrodar fired an arrow into his skull, everyone around him turning around to face the former Prince who had slung his bow over his shoulder, pulling out both of his swords. "So... Who's next?"

Several of the Darkfallen retreated back to their Queen, surrounding her in a tight unit as a way to protect her, quickly walking backwards towards the Citadel. Lana'thel complied with their actions, her eyes wide open the whole time, staring at her Prince. "Athrodar..." She muttered, feeling her heart almost beat back to life when he met her gaze evenly for a second, willing herself to retreat back into the Citadel even if her whole body told her to run to him.

Athrodar ran towards the tied up crusader's, handing one of them a knife from his belt just before the first Scourge minion engaged him in combat, parrying the sword coming his way and decapitating the head of the skeletal warrior that dared attack him. He glanced down to them briefly. "Run, I will cover your escape." They hesitated at first, not sure as to believe him until he glanced back down to them again. "RUN!" His voice deepened significantly, scaring them into action.

Three more Scourge came charging towards him, parrying their blows with ease, retaliating with a swift kill, all whilst moving back towards the exit of the Court of Bones. The next group of Scourge came bounding towards him, hearing a war horn blow in the distance, spotting one of the Darkfallen holding onto the instrument before pushing their Queen back into the Citadel, Lana'thel watching him the whole time.

He cast his gaze towards where the Darkfallen had entered the Citadel, spotting several nerubians and giant skeletal warriors coming his way, followed up by skeletal mages as well. "Time to go." He whispered, turning his blade around so it face the ground, enchanting the whole thing with a cloud of frost, slamming it hard into the ice and creating a wall in front of him, blocking off their advancement towards him, allowing him to escape with the crusader's.

He caught up to them faster than they could get away, knowing the Scourge would do the same once they got past his small barricade. "We need to get moving, they will catch up to us quickly."

One of them shook her head, pointing towards the only High Elf with them. "We can't, Cynthia is hurt and there isn't enough time to get her healed fully before they do catch up."

They all looked at Athrodar, waiting for him to come up with a plan. His mind raced, thinking about holding his ground once more, buying them enough time to escape but knew he would be overrun in a matter of minutes. He looked down at the High Elf who was on her knees, panting for air whilst blood trickled down from her back. "Let's get moving."

"What about her?"

Athrodar knelt down, picking Cynthia up, the High elf throwing one arm around his neck whilst the other held onto another wound she had sustained, this time on her hip. "I will carry her, now let's move! We're heading east towards Ymirheim, the Alliance and Horde have set up camps around it, the main triage centre is in the town."

The group of Crusader's along with Athrodar ran at full speed towards Ymirheim, having no Scourge interruptions until a gargoyle screeched from above, swooping down to attack the former Prince, Athrodar dropping to his knees as ice formed along the floor in front of him, dodging the attack that was coming towards his head, getting back up onto his feet as the momentum from the slide managed to keep him up to speed with everyone else.

He glanced back behind him, noticing no Scourge were following them. He stopped running, placing Cynthia down before he unslung his bow, getting down to one knee and nocking an arrow into place, enchanting it with frost magic. As the gargoyle came swooping down for him again, he launched the projectile, watching it hit the stone beast directly in its open jaw and freezing it instantly. He watched the beast hit the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces, noticing it sounded distinctively like glass shattering when it hit a hard surface.

He picked Cynthia up again, noticing how pale she had become, the warmth in her skin and life in her eyes quickly fading from her. "Stay with me." He whispered down to her in Thalassian. "We are almost home."

She reached up weakly, placing her hand on his face and catching his attention. "I don't want to die." She whispered back to him in the same language, her eyes filling up with tears. "Promise me I won't die."

He waved his hand from under her, Cynthia taking it when she saw it, holding onto it as tightly as she could. "I promise you, you will survive to see another day." He noticed the ring on her finger whilst keeping a steady pace, Ymirheim coming into view in the distance. "Do you have someone waiting for you back home?"

She looked down to her finger with the ring on it, nodding slowly as her head began to get heavier. "My... My Husband, the.. the love of my life.."

Ymirheim was getting significantly closer with every step, Athrodar knowing they would arrive there any minute now. "Good, just hold on a little longer, you will see him again."

A couple minutes had passed, arriving at the foot of Ymirheim, several guards running up the slope that would take them to the Vrykul town, calling for the priests and paladins, Athrodar still holding High Elf in his arms, meeting him halfway up the climb before they started to heal Cynthia. "You were lucky you got here when you did Captain, a few minutes later and she would have been taken from this world."

They took Cynthia off him, placing her on a bed in the biggest Vrykul house, originally used for giant feasts, now it's being used as the main triage area for the wounded. Athrodar fell backwards onto one of the log benches placed around a bonfire in the middle of the Vrykul town, rubbing his eyes and going over everything that had just happened. Several guards walking past him and patting him on the back, telling him he done a good job bringing back the High Elf alive, Athrodar nodding at them and giving them a small smile in return.

Clea slowly made her way towards him, trying her best not to startle the former Prince, sitting down next to him on the log, several feet separating them. "So I heard you couldn't help but play the hero today."

He glanced over to her, laughing a little at her assessment of what just happened. "So Sylvanas left you behind whilst she deals with things back at Undercity?"

Not liking the change of subject, she shifted the conversation back onto her point. "Do you have a thing for elves? Is that what it is? Trying to bag yourself one of each kind?"

This time he really did laugh, making several soldiers look around at the two of them. "I can see why you would think that, but no. She was injured and we had the Scourge hot on our heels, I would have done the same for any one of them." She stared at him, blinking slowly. "What?"

"I don't believe you." She shifted a little closer to him. "I think you would do the same for any of them if they were also some form of Quel'dorei... and a woman."

He glanced down at their shortened gap, looking back up to Clea. "So, what? Sylvanas left you behind so we can work on our little friendship?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "No. She left me here to command the remaining Dark Rangers and seeing as I'm her Ranger-General, she trusts me the most."

"So she left you here to command the remaining Dark Rangers and to report to her with updates on the situation here?"

Clea nodded. "Precisely, she wants me to report into her with updates on everything that has happened and is happening." He grinned at her, making her a little uncomfortable. "What?"

"She has asked you to babysit me, just not using those exact words."

Clea frowned at him. "My Queen wouldn't waste me on such a thing... Would she?"

Athrodar shrugged. "Who knows? I'm just saying she could have left anyone else in charge of such task. I mean, how hard can it be to relay everything back to her that has happened? Anya or Kalira would have been a good choice to name a few."

She began to question her Queen's orders, not believing that she was actually agreeing with him. "What are you saying?"

He smirked, knowing she had fallen for his bait. "Clearly she must trust you more than anyone to have you report to her on my whereabouts and on what I am doing." He stood up from the log. "But hey, who am I to question what she wants from you."

Clea watched him begin to leave, launching herself towards him in an effort to stop him. "Wait!" Athrodar had a big grin on his face when she grabbed him arm, wiping it away when he turned around to face her. "You have to help me with this. My Queen wants me to keep tabs on you and I can't do that if you're always running off somewhere."

His face remained stoic, trying not to give away that he was messing with her. "I suppose you will have to stay by my side if she wants you to keep tabs on me."

Clea sighed, knowing his words to be true. "Very well, if that's what my Queen wants."


	34. Chapter 34

**Crusade's Arrival at Ymirheim**

"What are we doing exactly?"

Athrodar pointed up to the top of a nearby mountain. "We are going up there to see if it's a good enough vantage point for this whole area." He glanced over to Clea, noticing she was a little scared at the idea of climbing it. "Is something wrong?"

"Let's just say I'm not very good with heights. I like to know that if I trip, I won't be falling to my death."

He grinned. "Really? You surprise me."

Clea narrowed her eyes at him. "Drop the sarcasm, _Captain_. I am still your superior out here." She looked up towards the mountain. "So how are we doing this?"

"I'll climb up, make sure everything is safe before sending you a signal to say it's all clear. From there, we will scale this thing together until we reach the peak, then we will scout the surrounding areas and see if we can spot any Scourge activity nearby."

Athrodar began to climb the mountain, pulling himself several feet up the mountainside until Clea shouted for him. "Stop!" She sighed. "I'll go." Against her better judgement, she decided to go first, not wanting to let her Queen down.

Athrodar jumped down from the rock he was on, landing on the ground and walking over towards her. "Are you sure? I don't mind going first."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "No, I'll go first. My Lady left me in charge of you and I'll be damned if you get yourself injured or even killed on my watch." She stepped towards the foot of the mountain, looking up at the enormity of it. She gulped, taking a deep breath though she didn't need to breathe. "Are you sure we need to do this?"

Athrodar nodded. "Aye, Saurfang ordered us to get a better look of the surrounding area. This is the best option we've got."

Clea looked up towards the peak of the mountain, only now noticing the sheer height of it. She whimpered before starting her climb, trying her best to push her fear of heights away. Lyana, Clea's second in command whilst Anya was away, made her way beside Athrodar, watching her Ranger-General climb up the mountainside. "What is she doing?"

Athrodar smirked, turning to face Lyana. "She is climbing to the top of the mountain, as requested by Saurfang."

She frowned at him. "Why wasn't I informed?"

"She wasn't actually told to do it by Saurfang. I'm messing with her until Sylvanas comes back." He looked up to Clea, noticing she was almost a quarter of the way up. "It's been an interesting experiment, to see if she'll do things she normally wouldn't do."

Lyana looked up to Clea as well. "You know she's afraid of heights, right?"

Athrodar nodded. "Oh I'm aware, I was worried it wouldn't work but..." He pointed up to her. "There she is."

"I'm impressed. How did you convince her to go up there?"

Athrodar chuckled. "I told her Sylvanas left her in charge of everyone because she was the most trusted to report back to her, and because she wanted constant updates on me."

Lyana nodded. "So you told her she was only here to babysit you?"

"Precisely."

"And that made her get all protective over you, doing things she wouldn't normally do to keep you safe?"

Athrodar nodded. "Mhm."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "That's smart."

He smirked. "Right?"

Lyana watched Clea climb higher, shaking her head in disbelief that her Ranger-General was actually doing this. She ignored the fact a messenger had come for Athrodar, handing him a missive before leaving. "How long have you been doing this to her?" She glanced over to him, noticing he was reading the missive he had just received. "What is it?"

"Tirion and his Crusade are arriving at Ymirheim in a few hours, I have been summoned to attend their strategy meeting." He looked up the mountain, specifically towards Clea. "Along with our high climber up there."

Lyana looked back up the mountain. "Do we tell her?"

He shook his head. "I'm sure she'll figure it out."

* * *

Thalina and Liadrin rode at the front of the army, along with Tirion and several of his officers. Liadrin stayed close to Thalina, her use of magic to keep herself warm attracted the Blood Knight Matriarch towards her the whole trip down to Ymirheim. "You know, there are such things as boundaries."

"Look, Thal." The Magister rolled her eyes, having expected some sort of lecture. "You are keeping yourself warm out here with your magic, the least you could do is share some of that heat you're giving off to a close, personal friend."

Thalina shook her head. "You know the light can do the same thing, right?"

"I know. But since you're already using magic to keep yourself warm, I thought we could share."

Thalina narrowed her eyes at her. "You don't know how to, do you?"

Liadrin looked away. "No..."

She smiled. "I knew it."

"What? It's not like I have needed to use such an ability. Everywhere I have been is warm enough not to need it."

They began to ride up the gentle incline that leads to Ymirheim, guards stationed along the edges of the road, saluting Tirion and his officers as they rode past. "We're almost there, maybe they have roaring fires for you to sit next to, or even a warm blanket to wrap around yourself."

"And if we're lucky, actual food." Muttered Elaria, who had been riding behind them quietly until now.

Thalina turned her head around quickly to look at Elaria with a shocked expression, feeling a little stung by her words. "Hey... I tried my best with the conjured food, but it's not that easy.."

Elaria pulled out the conjured bread from her pocket, most of it crumbling to the floor. "I get that, but I don't think bread is meant to fall apart so easily."

Thalina looked down at her saddle, hurt by Elaria's blunt yet truthful assessment of her conjured work. Liadrin began to shiver a little, glancing over to Thalina after noticing her warmth had begun to disappear. "Great, your negative attitude towards her spell work has switched her off."

Elaria looked away, staring into the distance though Liadrin noticed her pouting all the same. "She started it.."

Thalina looked up from her saddle, shocked at Elaria's claim. "What did I do!?"

Elaria glared at her. "You destroyed my relationship with Driana before it even started. We could have been the best of friends! After some time we would have moved in to the same home, grown old together all whilst arguing like the best friends we could have been."

Liadrin frowned at her. "What world do you live in where that could ever work?"

Thalina turned her head to the side, trying to look at Elaria the best she could, considering where she was. "You do realise my father wouldn't exactly agree to such a thing."

Elaria blinked several times in quick succession. "I may have forgotten about him... Maybe they could take me in as the daughter they've always wanted, I would be obedient and loyal to them, not leaving to go off on some otherworldly adventure."

Thalina pulled on the reins of her horse, slowing down to ride next to Elaria. "First of all, ouch. I think I've been the best daughter in the world to them, I've not been rebellious or a nightmare to live with." She glanced over to Liadrin when she heard her snort. "What? I haven't!"

"Right, because going halfway across the world and leaving your child in their hands is perfectly normal. Not to mention what you were like when you were younger, by the light you were infuriating."

Thalina gasped. "What do you mean I was infuriating!? I don't remember doing anything so bad as to be infuriating."

Liadrin pulled on the reins of her horse, falling back to Thalina and Elaria, the latter sitting in between the pair of them. "You were the most impatient person when being taught something new. You wanted to learn and master it all in one day." A smile began to creep along her face. "Or do you not remember the Herb Merchant Incident?"

Thalina's eyes opened wide, leaning closer to the pair of them. "How do you remember that?" She whispered.

Elaria smirked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "What happened with the herb merchant?"

Thalina covered her ears and closed her eyes, shaking her head left and right in quick succession. "No no no no!"

Liadrin leaned in towards Elaria, the night elf doing the same back. "She had learnt this new spell, one that she had wanted to learn for a while, I'm sure you're familiar with it." She looked over towards Thalina, grinning when then Magister tried her best to block the pair of them out. "The spell is called blink and it allows her to travel up to and around twenty yards in front of her, the more powerful mages able to cast it more than once to travel further."

Elaria nodded. "I'm aware of such a thing, I'm sure I've seen her use it a couple of times."

"Pretty useful, right?" Liadrin's grin grew even wider. "Well, when she was first learning it, her father would take her out into an open area, away from anyone and anything that she could teleport into. All was going well, she was picking it up quickly from what I had heard. That was until she wanted to show off in front of me and her brother."

"I'm guessing that's where the herb merchant was?"

Liadrin nodded. "Precisely, in fact, it was right in the middle of Silvermoon Plaza where the market was located." She looked over to Thalina, the Magister trying to hide as best as she could on top of her horse. "She wanted to move from one stall to another, looking at their wares and judging for herself if we would want anything, except instead of inspecting their stuff, she more or less wore them by the end of it."

"It was one time!" Thalina exclaimed from within her hood having pulled it over her face.

Liadrin laughed. "Maybe one time for each stall." She opened her hands to Elaria, showing all ten digits on them. "Ten stalls in total she blinked into, every time she hit one, she panic blinked into the next, hoping to get away, only to repeat the same mistake time and time again until the guards dragged her to her father in Sunfury Spire."

Elaria frowned at Liadrin. "So why do you call it the 'Herb Merchant Incident' exactly?"

"That's the one she blinked into more times than any, almost put the poor guy out of business, having destroyed most of his stock." Liadrin shook her head. "She had to work for the man for half a decade before paying for everything she had destroyed."

"He could never get my name right... One time he called me Silvia, that's not even close!"

So distracted by the story, they hadn't noticed the rest of the army stopping in the middle of Ymirheim, Athrodar waiting for them to eventually climb down from their horses, overhearing the end of the story. "You talking about the Herb Merchant Incident?"

Thalina climbed down from her horse, groaning when Athrodar mentioned it. "How do you know? You weren't even there..."

Athrodar chuckled, walking towards Tirion whilst the others got settled. "Highlord, we have been expecting you, Saurfang waits for you in the Thane's hall to the west." He pointed towards the location he was talking about, Tirion clapping him on the shoulder before walking away.

Elaria stood next to him as they watched Tirion walk away. "So, you're a Horde errand boy now? Interesting change in job title."

He chuckled again, extending his hand towards her for a handshake, Elaria grabbing hold of it and pulling him into a hug. He was held against her tightly, a little shocked and surprised at the same time. "Okay... Since when do we hug?"

Elaria pulled away, noticing Liadrin and Thalina staring at her in surprise as well as Athrodar. "Too much? I feel like it was too much."

Athrodar nodded slowly, not quite sure on what just happened. "Just a little bit." He glanced over her shoulder, noticing an angry looking Clea. "I have to go.. If a small yet terrifying Dark Ranger comes by asking for me... I was never here."

All three of them watched him leave swiftly, looking at each other in confusion until they noticed Clea come storming through the town, spotting Athrodar in the distance and yelling his name, sprinting after him shortly after. Elaria walked over to the pair of them, all three standing in a line with frowns on their faces. "I wonder what that was about."

Thalina shrugged, picking up her bag that was strapped to the side of her horse. "Who knows, but we best follow Tirion before they start their meeting without us."

* * *

They spent an hour talking strategy with Tirion, Saurfang, Jaina and Muradin. Athrodar and Clea turning up several minutes after they had started, neither one of them giving a valid enough excuse to their untimely arrival. Upon exiting the Thane's hall, Clea punched Athrodar hard in the arm, glaring at him the whole time. "You left me up there alone, after I told you I was afraid of heights!"

Athrodar threw both hands into the air, feigning innocence. "Hey, I shouted up to you that we had to return to Ymirheim, is it my fault you didn't hear me?"

She stared at him, trying to read his face for anything to hint at him lying, unable to find anything in his neutral composure. "Something is going on here, and I _will_ find out what it is." She span on her heel, walking away from him and to her Queen's tent, now hers since Sylvanas was no longer in Northrend.

Thalina exited the hall shortly after, watching Clea fade away into the distance. She stood behind Athrodar, pulling lightly on his arm to get his attention, the former Prince turning around to face her. "What was that all about?"

He grinned, looking towards where Clea had walked off to. "It's a long story, one that I'm sure I have more to add to."

She frowned at him, her discussion earlier with Liadrin and Elaria coming back to her mind. "How do you know about the Herb Merchant Incident? I thought you didn't remember much about your past, let alone mine."

He shook his head. "I don't, I just overheard you three on your way up the road. I just figured it would be a good starting point to a conversation we didn't end up having." He smiled, looking down at her. "So what _did_ happen?"

Liadrin and Elaria appeared from out the hall, the Blood Knight Matriarch grinning after overhearing his question. "I'm sure I can answer that."

Thalina buried her head in his chest, trying to hide from the story once more. "Noooo..." She held onto his tunic tightly, relieving some of her built up stress towards the repeat of the unfortunate event.

Athrodar placed a hand on her head, slowly stroking her hair. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if she doesn't want me to know." He glanced over to Liadrin who was mouthing to him that she would tell him later, Athrodar nodding slightly, enough for the paladin to register the movement as an agreement to her proposition.

Elaria stepped forward, standing next to Athrodar though facing in the opposite direction to him. "Thal, mind if I have a moment alone with him?"

The Magister pulled herself off him, looking at the pair of them before nodding. "Sure, just don't break him."

Elaria smiled at her. "I won't." She began to walk away from them, Athrodar following closely behind. When they were far enough away from everyone, she stopped walking, looking out towards the rest of Icecrown. "What are you doing, Athrodar?"

He frowned at the back of her head. "I'm not sure what you mean."

She smirked, still not facing him. "Thal may not have noticed, but I have. I remember what you were like back in Silvermoon, when you asked Lor'themar for troops, when you told us you remembered us but we meant nothing to you. Do you remember _that_?"

Athrodar sighed. "Yes, I remember. But I have changed since then, dying twice would do that to you I suppose."

Now she span around to face him. "Cut the crap, we both know that's not true." She placed a finger on his chest, poking him as she began to talk. "You're acting this way because you feel guilty, we both know it's eating away at you inside, trying to be this nice guy that you're clearly not any more."

He pushed away her hand. "Alright! Fine, you got me. Yes, I am feeling guilty for what I have done to her, and yes it's killing me being this nice to her and everyone else but what choice do I have?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, relieving some pressure that was building up there. "I'm not the same person I was when I was alive, that's a given, but after being impaled by that fucking blade for a second time, It's not an easy task to get people to trust you again after being in the service of the Lich King twice."

Elaria held her head high at the perfect reading of him, a little surprised by it herself. She glanced down to him, having had an idea cross her mind. "If I may suggest something."

"What?"

"Stay away from her." She straightened her composure, trying to reinforce her firmness on the suggestion. "After this is all over, leave her and everyone she is close to alone for good. Be with your Banshee Queen for all I care, just leave Thalina alone... Please."

Athrodar snorted at her request. "That would crush her and you know it."

"She will get over it, she will get over you. It will take some time, but you'll be nothing but a fond memory to her once she has."

Athrodar began to pace back and forth. "You want me to leave her alone, even though you know it would crush her? Have you seen how happy she has been recently?"

Elaria stood in one spot, watching him pace. "That's because she's addicted to your very being. Your presence is something she needs, and your attention is something she craves. You just being here is poisoning her to such an extent that she throws herself at you at every given opportunity."

He stopped pacing, looking through a small gap and into the middle of the town, spotting Thalina and Liadrin laughing at something. "You call it poison, I call it love." He span around to face her. "She still loves me after all this time, after everything that has happened. I was killed, twice, yet she still loves me. What does that tell you?"

Elaria shook her head. "That she is deluded enough to believe you love her back, that everything is normal and she can take you back to Eversong after this is all over and you two can live happily ever after with your daughter." She scoffed at the thought of it. "We both know that will never happen."

Athrodar took a step back, taking everything Elaria just said into perspective. He sighed after realising everything she just said was nothing short of the truth. "You're right. I returned with the Horde after Aldur'thar just to keep my distance from her." He looked over to her. "Look after her, after all this is over. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid like try and find me."

Elaria grabbed his arm before he walked past her. "I won't always be there for her, but I will make sure she stays safe." She let go of his arm, the pair of them nodding at each other before both going their separate ways, Athrodar walking directly past Thalina and Liadrin, heading straight for the Dark Ranger's barracks.

Thalina ran over to Elaria after she joined up with her and Liadrin. "What did you talk to him about." She glanced over to his retreating form. "He seems... different now."

Elaria's eyes shifted to Liadrin, the paladin knowing exactly what she was talking to him about, having discussed it earlier with Elaria back at the Argent Tournament Grounds. "Nothing in particular, just catching up."

Thalina shifted her gaze towards Liadrin who shrugged at her, looking back at Elaria shortly after. "I'm going to go talk to him, see what's wrong." She noticed Elaria look over her head towards Liadrin, turning around to face the Paladin and noticing the same look on her face. "What? What aren't you telling me."

Liadrin took hold of her hand, placing her other one over the top. "Nothing Thal, don't worry. Go talk to him if you want, I'm going to find Tirion."

Thalina's smile beamed up to her, running off after him shortly after. Elaria made her way to Liadrin, a little annoyed by the paladin. "You do realise he's agreed to leaving her alone after all of this is over, right? You're making it harder for her to get over him if she continues to be alone with him."

"She loves him Elaria, I'm not about to..." The pair of them watched a group of guards walk by before carrying on their discussion, Liadrin lowering her voice so people couldn't overhear. "I'm not about to let her suffer all for the sake of you prying them apart."

Elaria glared at her. "What are you talking about? You said so yourself that he's not good for her, not any more." She kept her voice low, though strained it when her anger began to break through.

"That was before I saw how happy he made her." Her eyes shifted to Elaria's, noticing something off with her. "Is this about Clara?"

Elaria's glare intensified, visibly shaking with anger. "How dare you! This has nothing to do with Clara!" Her voice carried throughout Ymirheim, several guards turning around to face the two elves.

Liadrin's face remained stoic, not getting intimidated by the enraged Night Elf in front of her. "Isn't it? You say he's not good for her and that he's been acting differently when I think it's you who has. You've not mourned Clara, not properly and I think it's driving you to pull them apart."

Elaria looked down her nose at her. "It doesn't matter, he has agreed to leave her once this is all over. That's all that matters now." She barged past Liadrin, heading off towards the main bonfire in the middle of the camp.


	35. Chapter 35

**Broken before the Battle**

Thalina had entered the Horde camp to the west of Ymirheim in search of Athrodar, following a trail of splintered wood that eventually led her to the former Prince who was sitting by a pile of poorly fletched arrow shafts. She slowly crept up on him, stopping when he punched the ice underneath him out of frustration, Thalina gasping at the sudden aggressive action.

He watched her as she ran around him and the pile of what he would call twigs, the arrow shafts being that poorly fletched, kneeling down in front of him and taking his hand in hers, the Magister inspecting each finger from knuckle to tip. "What are you doing here Thal?"

She smiled when she was certain his hand wasn't broken, brushing her thumb over each knuckle. "Unless I'm mistaken, we have one final fortress to take before we get to the Citadel itself."

He moved his hand away from her, opening and closing it to check for himself if he had broken it. "I know _that_ , but why are you _here_ , with me, right now."

She placed her hand on his face, frowning at him when he backed away from it. "Something is bothering you and because I love you, I want to help."

Athrodar placed one hand on the ground. "I'm not going to talk about this." He formed a wall of ice between them, Thalina staring at it for a few seconds, a little hurt by his attempt to block her out.

She moved to the opposite side of him, again being blocked by a wall of ice. "This is silly, just let me help you."

He formed two more walls around him, boxing himself in the four walls of ice. "I don't need your help Thalina, nor would I ask for it if I did."

She rolled her eyes, placing her hands on one of the walls and quickly melting it as she began to heat up. When it completely melted, she knelt down in front of him again, taking both of his hands in hers. "Talk to me Athrodar. Was it something Elaria said?"

He looked her in the eyes, seeing the familiar look of adoration that was there when they shared eye contact, her love for him ever present within them. "You shouldn't be here."

"I just told you, I am here because -" He placed a hand over her mouth.

"No, not that." He moved his hand away and placed it on her cheek, Thalina closing her eyes at his touch. "You shouldn't be here, in Northrend. You should be home, away from all of this death and looking after our daughter, making sure she grows up with at least one parent."

She placed one hand over his. "Once this is all over, maybe she can grow up with both." He shifted his eyes away from her, something she noticed straight away. "What is it?"

His gaze returned to her. "Nothing."

She got to her feet, placing a hand on her forehead and massaging it with her thumb and index finger. "Okay, that's the second time someone has looked away when I talk about you. Something is going on and you're all refusing to tell me."

"We're trying to protect you."

She scoffed. "Protect me? I didn't come to Northrend to be fucking protected." Athrodar shifted where he sat, becoming uncomfortable as the temperature increased, Thalina's rising temper meant she exerted her fire magic as well. She looked down at him, small flames present in her eyes. "What is going on here that makes you all so certain you need to protect me? Protect me from what?!"

He looked away, frustrating Thalina some more to the extent the walls of ice swiftly melted around him, creating puddles on the floor. "To protect you from me."

The temperature dropped back down to normal, the puddles on the floor quickly freezing over. She frowned at him from where she stood, not moving from the spot. "What do you mean? Why do you all need to protect me from you?"

Athrodar got up and took a few steps away from her, placing both hands behind his back and looking up into the sky. "Elaria believes I am not good for you, that what we have is poisoning you into believing there is something there."

Thalina began to laugh, Athrodar turning around to face her with a frown. "You do hear yourself, right? Of course you're not good for me." She closed the gap between them, snaking her arms around his waist, holding him in place in front of her. "But sometimes being bad..." She began, leaning closer to him. "... can feel so good." She whispered, lightly kissing him.

Athrodar looked down at her, smirking when he thought about her words. "Well," He picked her up, Thalina giggling as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. "I was never one for being good anyway."

Thalina pressed her forehead against his, gazing into his eyes. "You know, if we're going to do this..." She smiled seductively. "...We might want to find somewhere warmer, I still feel the cold."

He glanced over to the pile of arrow shafts he poorly made, raising an eyebrow at her. "Perhaps we can use our surroundings, and if you need a blanket or something..." He let go of her briefly, pulling down his hood and unclipping his cloak from his shoulder pads. He handed her the cloak, noticing her staring at him more than the cloak. "What is it?"

She threaded her fingers through his hair, forgetting the conversation they were just having for a few seconds. "I forgot you hair is no longer black." She smiled. "I like it a lot more like this. It's closer to what your hair was like when you were alive."

He threw the cloak around her, strapping it to her shoulder pads. "Now, hood up, or hood down?"

She stepped forward, the bottom of the cloak dragging along the floor, their height difference coming into play as he began to chuckle at her. "Stop it!" She smacked him on the arm. "It's just a little big on me is all."

He began to pat the top of her head, Thalina pouting at him before looking down at the floor. "It's okay, I'm sure you'll grow into it." He kissed the top of her head. "Or you'll find a spell to shrink it." He placed a hand under her chin and moved it up so she looked up at him, kissing her lightly. "Let's go back. Surely they're ready to move on the Scourge by now."

Thalina pulled up the hood as they set off back to Ymirheim, noticing the feint smell of Eversong Woods it gave off, similar to his smell when he was alive. She smiled under the hood, wrapping the cloak around her tightly. She pressed her nose against the hood and inhaled deeply, her mind taking her back to the day after her hundredth birthday.

They arrived back at Ymirheim minutes later, Thalina twirling around when Liadrin saw her, showing off Athrodar's cloak. "It's a little big on you."

She stopped spinning, facing Liadrin with a frustrated stare. "I will grow into it."

Liadrin laughed. "Thal, you stopped growing over a century ago." She looked around. "Where is Athrodar anyway? We are moving out soon."

Thalina glanced over towards the Horde camp. "He's getting ready. He'll be here with the rest of the Dark Rangers, I'm sure of it."

Liadrin nodded, checking her blades in the meantime. "Then we best get ready as well, though I'm not sure you can wear that cloak in its current state. Do you have some sort of... shrinking spell?"

Thalina smirked, placing one hand on her cloak and shrinking it down to size. "Is that better?"

Liadrin smiled at her friend. "Yes, it fits you perfectly now." She stood by Thalina's side, the Magister looking her up and down, not quite sure why she was standing so close. "I have word that Sylvanas has returned to Undercity indefinitely, something to do with the Scarlet Crusade in Tirisfal Glades."

Thalina grinned at the news. "That would explain why she wasn't at the meeting earlier." Her grin widened some more. "That means Athrodar has nobody in camp to distract him."

Liadrin nudged her. "Other than you."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, other than me. That was implied."

Liadrin scoffed. "That was hardly implied, you didn't even hint towards it."

Thalina shrugged. "Either way, that just means he gets more time with me, and who doesn't want to be around me? I'm adorable."

Liadrin rolled her eyes. "If that's what you want to believe, then be my guest." She laughed when Thalina tried to make an innocent face, the Magister laughing with her when she realised how funny she must have looked. "It's a shame Elaria wasn't around to witness that, it surely would have cheered her up."

"What do you mean?" Thalina asked, frowning at the paladin. "What's wrong with Elaria?"

Liadrin had a worried look on her face. "I think Elaria is in emotional pain since Clara's death. I also think she hasn't mourned her properly, instead she seems fixated on killing Arthas by any means necessary."

Thalina tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean by any means necessary? So far she seems to be doing what everyone else is doing, fighting the Scourge one stage at a time, following the orders given to her."

Liadrin sighed. "She knows Athrodar is the key to breaking through their defences and ultimately the one person who can take on Arthas." She looked towards the Horde camp below Ymirheim. "She's trying to get him to concentrate on this campaign and this campaign alone, even if it means destroying everything else in his life with it."

Thalina stared at her, slowly widening her eyes when she realised what Liadrin was on about. "Elaria means to take him away from me, just so she can kill Arthas, something we're so close to doing anyway?" Liadrin nodded, slowly looking down at the floor in regret. Thalina's mouth opened slightly in shock. "You agree with her, don't you?"

Liadrin looked back up to Thalina, shaking her head profusely. "No, well.. Yes, at first, but not any more." She went to place both her hands on Thalina's arms, the Magister backing away from her in disgust. "Thal, please, listen to me. After I saw how happy you were once we arrived here, I knew what Elaria was doing was wrong."

Liadrin tried to get hold of her, Thalina backing away some more, shaking her head at the paladin, saddened by her betrayal. "How could you... You know how I feel about him, yet you still tried to pull us apart."

She turned around, beginning to make her way down towards the Horde camp and away from her, Liadrin following her closely. "Thal, come on. I know how you feel about him and I admit I was foolish to think you were better off without him."

Thalina stopped walking. "What did he and Elaria discuss? I assume you know what it was about."

Liadrin didn't reply right away, trying to find the words that would lessen the blow. "She told him to leave you alone once this was all over."

Thalina glared at her. "And?"

Liadrin looked visibly uncomfortable with the conversation, shifting her weight from one leg to another. "He... He agreed to it." She watched the warring emotions on Thalina's face, both of anger and utter brokenness. She took hold of her hand, Thalina swiftly moving her hand away. "Thal..."

"Leave me alone..." Thalina blinked several yards down hill, moving her legs quickly until she was running down it and towards the Horde camp. Liadrin watched on heartbroken, knowing she hurt her and could do nothing to apologise.

Thalina made it to the Horde camp in a matter of seconds, continuing to blink forward through the camp, searching the nearby tents before moving on to the next, finally finding Athrodar when she nearly blinked into him on the outskirts of the camp. He jumped a little, moving one hand to his sword out of habbit. "Oh, it's just you." He noticed something was off with her, the usual adoration in her eyes had all but been replaced with emptiness. "What's wrong?"

"You're leaving me once we've killed Arthas, aren't you? Cutting yourself out my life for good." His silence to her question was enough for her to know it was true. Her eyes filled with tears quickly, shaking her head slowly, not wanting to believe it. She began to unclip the cloak he gave her from her shoulder pads.

Athrodar watched what she was doing, placing a hand on top of one of hers. "What are you doing?"

She moved her hand away, continuing to unclip the cloak, holding it in her hands after she had finished, staring down at it. "Removing you from my life." Her voice broke, shutting her eyes tightly, a couple tears falling down onto the cloak before she dropped it in to the snow.

Athrodar picked up the cloak, holding onto one of her arms. "Thal, don't do this. I gave you this cloak as a gift, just like I did all those years ago."

She was facing away from him, the arm he was holding onto extended out behind her whilst her free hand clutched at her heart. She sobbed as her mind took her back to that time they were on the porch back in Dawnstrider Village, the familiar feeling of loving him and knowing he didn't feel the same coming back to haunt her. "Keep it..." She struggled to say, pulling her arm away from him.

Yet he held on tightly, pulling her to him instead. He knelt down when she faced him, though her eyes were still shut. "Thal, listen to me." He rubbed her arms, trying to calm her down. "Yes, I told Elaria I was going to leave you once we killed Arthas." He kissed the top of her hand. "But don't think it's because I no longer love you. Thal," He kissed her hand again. "I will always love you."

She broke down in front of him, falling to her knees as well, Athrodar pulling her in to his embrace. She held on to him tightly, despite his admittance to leaving after the war is over. "Don't... leave me." She moved her head up from where it was buried against his chest, looking him in the eyes. "Please... don't."

He brushed his thumb across each cheek, wiping away her tears. When he moved his hand away, Thalina moved her hands on his face and leaned forward to kiss him. Athrodar tried to speak, but was stopped by her assault on his lips. "Thal... Thal stop.." He pulled her off him. "Stop. Now's not the time to start anything."

Thalina sat there awkwardly, placing her head in her hands in shame. "When is the time? As soon as we take the Court of Bones, along with the Cathedral of Darkness, we will be left with just the Citadel. Once we've conquered that, you're going to disappear. So tell me, when is the time?" She felt him place both hands on her face, lifting it up from her hands. "What are you doing?"

"Just..." He leaned in to kiss her, placing the cloak he gave her behind her on the floor, slowly moving her onto it. "You're were right, we don't have the time if we don't do this now." He began to kiss her along the neck, Thalina pulling him off despite her body telling her no.

"Are you sure about this?"

He frowned down at her. "Really? Now you want to question the timing of it?"

She looked down the gap between them, then back up to him. "You're right." She pulled him down, Athrodar resuming his trail down her neck, Thalina untying the back of her robe whilst he pulled it down slowly, using her magic to keep her warm due to being in the heart of Northrend and the coldest point on Azeroth.

* * *

The three armies stationed in Ymirheim had moved out, meeting up with Darion Mograine and the Knight's of the Ebon Blade halfway towards the Court of Bones. Athrodar was sitting on top of his Deathcharger with Thalina sitting in front of him, keeping one arm around her. His grip around her waist tightened as they got closer to their objective, reassuring the shrinking Thalina as her nerves were getting the better of her. "I'll keep you safe throughout this, don't worry." He whispered into her ear, Thalina relaxing a little when he reassured her by following it up with a kiss to the same ear.

Thalina wore the cloak he had given her, pulling the hood over her head for privacy, not wanting to talk to anyone, especially the paladin who was looking at her from afar, still saddened by their conversation earlier. Thalina leaned back into him, looking up at the former Prince, the pair of them looking more like a couple now than they did before, their matching cloaks giving everyone that idea. "Thank you, for earlier."

Athrodar glanced down at her, trying to keep his focus on the Scourge Citadel in front of them. "You're thanking me for sex?" He chuckled. "You're welcome, I guess?"

Thalina let out a small laugh, resting her eyes momentarily. "I suppose I am." Upon opening her eyes, she glanced over to her right, noticing Liadrin was looking upset atop her horse, riding on her own away from everyone. She moved her hand up to Athrodar's face, turning it around so he faced Liadrin. "I need to talk to her."

He raised an eyebrow at the paladin. "Now? Whilst I'm here?"

She nodded against his chest, still leaning back on him. "Yes, especially whilst you're here. I need to forgive her before we reach the Court of Bones. I can't look at her whilst she's like that, knowing I upset her."

Athrodar sighed, rolling his eyes and pulling on the reins, his horse steering right and towards Liadrin. When they were alongside her, she looked at Athrodar first, the former Prince looking down towards Thalina. "I believe she has something to say to you."

Thalina held out her hand towards Liadrin who took hold of it instantly. "I'm sorry for being hard on you Liadrin, I know you didn't agree to it after we arrived at Ymirheim."

Liadrin shook her head, smiling at her weakly. "I should be the one to apologise Thal. I should never have thought about pulling you two apart." She held onto her hand tighter, a rare tear falling down her face. "You're like the sister I never had and I'm sorry for putting what we have in jeopardy."

Thalina matched her smile, a tear falling down her face as well. "I forgive you Li Li." They let go of each other, Thalina grinning when she saw Liadrin going over something in her head. "Yes, you're still my daughter's tutor if she shows and affinity to the light."

Liadrin laughed, a big smile being plastered on her face. "Thank you, Thal."

The next few of minutes were full of random conversation, at least that's what it was for Athrodar, the former Prince rolling his eyes and sighing when he heard them bring him up in one of them. "I may not be paying much attention, but I _can_ still hear you."

Thalina moved her head up towards his, kissing him on the cheek. "Keep your eyes on the path ahead, we're talking."

She turned her head back towards Liadrin, Athrodar raising an eyebrow at her, a devilish grin making its way across his face. He pulled down her hood, exposing her head to a cold breeze that he conjured at that moment. She gasped as it hit her, trying to pull her hood up despite Athrodar holding onto it so she couldn't. "I'll let go of it, if you promise to keep me out of your conversation."

Thalina pouted at him, Athrodar remaining serious until she sighed, figuring it wouldn't work on him this time. "Fine, just give me my hood back!" Athrodar let go of it, allowing her to quickly pull it back up, the Magister murmuring a few spells under her breath.

Athrodar shook his head, knowing she placed spells onto her hood so he couldn't pull it down. Instead, he placed a hand over her mouth when she continued their conversation. "There's more than one way to silence you, young Magister." He moved his head next to hers, resting it on her shoulder, the pair of them looking at each other from the corners of their eyes. "Now are we going to drop this conversation and start a new one, or are we going to have to remain silent throughout the rest of the journey?"

Thalina mumbled words into his hand, rolling her eyes when she realised they couldn't understand her. She tapped on his hand for him to remove it, repeating what she said. "You're no fun when you're like this." He went to move his hand over her mouth again, Thalina moving away slightly. "No no, I'm sorry." She sighed. "I'll change topic.. to one that doesn't involve you."

Liadrin snorted. "Yes, because you know what to talk about besides him."

Thalina gave her an incredulous gasp. "I do so know what to talk about besides him. You just don't have all the same interests as I do. For instance, I like to talk about my fire magic, which is nothing like holy magic."

Athrodar winced at the thought of both, uncomfortably moving in the saddle. "They certainly feel the same."

Thalina moved her hand over his, holding on to it. "Right, sorry. I forgot you can't be touched by the light."

Liadrin gave him a smug look. "Looks like you can't beat me in a fight after all."

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her. "You do realise the Scarlet Crusade thought the same thing. They also wielded your precious light."

Liadrin glared at him, slowly radiating with light. "Is that a challenge?"

Athrodar glanced over to the nearing fortress, a grin playing across his face. "It will have to be put on hold." He nodded over to the Scourge outpost. "We are here."

Thalina leaned back against him, taking a deep breath when she saw the Lich King's Citadel nearby. "We're almost there." She whispered to nobody in particular.

Athrodar held onto her tightly when he felt her tense up, moving his mouth to her ear once more. "I will stay by your side, Thal, we will get through this together." He stared ahead, feeling something in his gut calling to him, knowing there was someone in the Cathedral he didn't want to be there, especially now as they approached it.


	36. Chapter 36

**The Cathedral of Darkness**

Athrodar rode to the front of the armies, meeting up with each of the commanders with Thalina still sitting in front of him. They began to draw up plans of attack, sending the Horde and Alliance in first with the Knights of the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade on their flanks, charging through with Cavalry. Clea sat on a skeletal warhorse beside the pair of them, listening in to the quick war council going on. "We could do what we done in Aldur'thar, send me and my Dark Rangers to take out a high priority target in the Cathedral."

Athrodar nodded in agreement. "We left no survivors, so they wouldn't know we're repeating the same strategy. It's a sound plan if we wish to weaken their chain of command significantly."

Darion looked at Tirion, noticing the Grand Paladin was thinking about it. "Tirion if it worked so well last time, give them the chance to do it again. It's what they're good at."

Tirion weighed up the options, coming to the conclusion Athrodar hoped he would come up with. "Very well, unless anyone has any objections, you and your Dark Rangers will get behind them and take out their leader."

Clea and Athrodar began to ride back to the rest of the Dark Rangers, the Dark Ranger-General glancing over to him and Thalina, raising an eyebrow at the presence of the Magister. "Is it wise to bring her along with us? She doesn't exactly meet the... requirements... for such a task."

Athrodar remained focused on the group of Dark Rangers waiting for their return, not looking at Clea when he responded. "It wouldn't be wise to leave her behind. The last time we done this, you were all locked out by a spell, leaving me alone with that necromancer. I advise you to bring her along so she can counter the spell if it happens again."

Clea narrowed her eyes at the pair of them, sighing in exasperation. "Fine, but she is your responsibility. Make sure she is dressed for the mission, we can't have her running around with us in that eyesore of a uniform those Argent Crusader's wear."

Thalina watched Clea ride away and back to her Dark Rangers. "Well.. She seems like a handful."

Athrodar smirked at the retreating form of Clea. "Only when her second isn't here, otherwise I think you would get along with both of them like a house on fire." He glanced down to Thalina, noticing the Magister looking at her armour with a confused look. "Okay, what is it?"

"What's wrong with my armour? I thought it looked lovely." She began to inspect it, checking for holes or some sort of dirt smudge. "I just don't get it."

"Thal..."

She continued to look at her armour. "Yes?"

"Look at them and tell me what you see."

She moved her head up and looked at the Dark Rangers huddled around in a small group. "Dead Elves. A sisterhood." She grinned. "With a big brother who they love to annoy."

Athrodar pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, what are they wearing?"

"Black leather, along with a cloak to match it."

He nodded. "Exactly. Now, what am I wearing?"

She placed a hand on his arm that was around her waist. "Unfortunately, clothes." She muttered, looking up at his face and noticing he raised an eyebrow at her. Her face went red with embarrassment, only now realising she said that out loud. "Oh erm... You're wearing black leathers as well." She looked down at her armour, catching on to what he was saying. "Right.. I see what she means now."

Athrodar climbed off his Deathcharger, helping Thalina down after. "Do you have anything black and tight fitting? Nothing that could get caught on something sharp whilst allowing you to move freely?"

Thalina stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest and looking up into his eyes, grinning at his questions. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Thalina..."

"Right, sorry." She took off a necklace around her neck and handed it to him. "Here, hold this."

Athrodar frowned at it. "And why am I holding this?"

Thalina glanced over to him, looking back to a spot in front of her. "I need it as an anchor for when I create a portal back."

He nodded at her. "Right.. Okay. Wait, what do you mean a portal back?"

A portal appeared in front of Thalina, the Magister placing her hands on her hips and holding her head high, smiling when it materialised. "I'm heading home for a few minutes. I don't have anything black here with me, but I'm certain I do back home. So I need you to keep hold of that as I need it to pinpoint my return."

Athrodar held the necklace up by the chain, the main ornament of it catching his attention, pressing down on a button that opened it up. Inside was a picture of Tanadia, sleeping in her cot, the peacefulness of it all distracting Athrodar a little, snapping back to reality when Thalina placed a hand on his face. "So how does this work exactly? Some sort of spellwork I presume."

Thalina smiled at him. "To put it simply, yes. Now wait here until I return."

Athrodar stood in the same place for close to ten minutes, most of the time looking at the picture of his daughter, feeling a little confused at what he was going to do after this was all over.

 _You'll be giving her up as well, do you really want to do this?_

He shook his head to clear the thought, knowing he chose to go down this path, nobody needed to force him into it.

 _Would it really be so bad? You say you will never love her fully, but you've managed to stay by her side ever since she arrived at Ymirheim._

"Yes, it would." He muttered to himself. He glanced around, hoping nobody was nearby to hear his one person conversation. His gaze remained on the locket, closing it when he felt it was bringing up emotions he tried to hide away.

 _You said so yourself, you love her and you know she loves you._

"I know I did." Athrodar began to pace back and forth, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 _Then why are you leaving her after all of this?_

"Because she will want to remain with her family, and I wouldn't be welcomed back with open arms by the Sin'dorei."

 _She will go wherever you go, you know this._

"Where I go is no place for a child, which is what she will bring if she wants to be with me, our child."

 _There are many remote locations in the world, go to one of them._

"I've made my choice."

 _You could always change it._

"Enough!" He swept his hand around in an arc, shooting ice in several directions. The voice in his head leaving instantly.

"Athrodar?"

He span around, instantly placing a hand on the hilt to one of his swords, unsheathing it and pointing it to the newcomer.

Thalina stared at him wide eyed, shocked that he had drawn his sword at her. "Baby it's me, I won't harm you, you know this." She slowly began to walk towards him, sheepishly extending out her hand, all the while eyeing the blade pointed at her. When her hand reached his face, he lowered the blade to the floor, resting his head against hers. "What happened? Talk to me."

Athrodar moved his hand up with the locket in, handing it over to her. "Nothing, I'm fine."

She knew he was lying, his outburst as well as the drawing of his sword at her were evidence enough to know something was up. She began to straighten out his belt and cloak, keeping her hands on his chest for a little longer than needed. "We both know that's not true." She snaked her hands around him. "Talk to me."

He put the locket back around her neck, ignoring her when she asked him to talk a couple more times. He looked down at what she was wearing, nodding slowly when he approved of what she had chosen. "It looks like we're ready to leave."

Thalina sighed, letting go of him. "We're not going to talk about what happened, are we?"

Athrodar walked over to his Deathcharger, unwrapping Thalina's sword that was strapped to the side of the saddle, covered in cloth. He walked back over to her and began strapping it to her waist. "We're not going to talk about what happened because nothing happened." Once he was done, he made sure it was strapped on tightly, pulling on it a couple of times before he was satisfied with it, looking back up to Thalina who was looking at him with an expression he hadn't seen before. "What's with the face?"

She had a mix between anger and sadness, making it difficult for him to place which one she was feeling. "Why won't you talk to me Athrodar, do you not trust me?"

He sighed, knowing better than to think she would drop it, her stubbornness known to him for decades. He took hold of both her hands, looking down at her. "Of course I trust you."

"But?"

"But we are not talking about it."

Thalina watched him walk over to the rest of the Dark Rangers, her head hung low as she made her way over to them as well, getting no sympathy from either one of them when they saw her. Clea, who was sitting atop her skeletal warhorse, told them all the plan, whilst Thalina glanced up towards Athrodar who wasn't paying much attention to either one of them, looking lost in thought.

"When we get inside the Cathedral, we will split off into four teams of five and search the whole place, thoroughly. Once we have cleared out every room, we will meet back at the front, the team who has found their leader will stay there until backup arrives. Only then can we be certain of victory." She looked at each and every one of their faces, noticing Athrodar was looking distant. "None of you will play hero, not today. We have come too far to lose here."

She dismissed them, watching everyone disperse and get ready to leave, stopping Athrodar when he began to move. He shifted his eyes down to her, the Dark Ranger-General watching him carefully. "Did you need something Clea? Or can I go?"

"Is your head in the game? Because I can't afford to have anyone not one hundred percent focused on the task at hand."

Athrodar pulled his arm away from her. "I'm fine. If you're worried about me however, I am more than happy to be moved to the front lines with the rest of the Horde."

Clea narrowed her eyes at him, shifting them towards the Cathedral in front of her. She grit her teeth in frustration, knowing he was more valuable with her than in the front lines. "You seem fine to me." She looked past him and towards Thalina who was watching their conversation. "Remember, that Magister of yours is your responsibility, she is not to slip up, got it?"

"She won't."

"She better not."

"She won't." He repeated, walking away from her afterwards.

Thalina followed him, seeing as he was the only friend she had amongst them all. "I couldn't help overhear, mostly because I was trying to, but that conversation sounded similar to the one you and Elaria had that time in Booty Bay, except she was the one defending me" She smiled a little. "Funny how times change."

Athrodar stopped walking, facing the Citadel that towered above everything, including the Scourge Stronghold they were about to assault. He felt Thalina's presence next to him without having to look, resting his hand on the hilt of his dagger that was sheathed at his waist. "Be careful out there, I can't have you dying on me when we've gotten this far."

She leaned up against him, moving her hand down to his and taking hold of it. She took a deep breath before asking a question she wasn't sure she wanted an answer to. "How good are you at reanimating the dead?"

Athrodar frowned at her, Thalina not looking up at him. "Why are you asking me this?"

Her eyes shifted down to the ground, tightening her grip on his hand. "If I do die..."

"No, I won't."

She did look up at him this time. "You didn't let me finish."

"I didn't have to, I know what you're going to ask me and the answer is no. I don't want you to go through what I went through. The realisation of this curse, the painful process of having your soul ripped away and having no chance on getting it back." He looked down at her hand that was intertwined with his. "The painful reality of knowing you can never return to the place you once called home."

Her head hung low at the realisation of his choice to disappear after all this was over. "You're leaving because you feel like you don't have a place with the living, aren't you?" Her voice was low, close to a whisper as she began to understand his reasoning.

"Yes,"

Her head shot up as she got an idea. "Then we will go somewhere you _are_ welcome, just you, me and our daughter. It can work."

"Thal.."

She continued on her train of thought. "We can go to Booty Bay.. or some place remote and away from everyone. I have heard about this place called Winterspring, it's out of the way and from what I've been told, not many people travel there."

"Thal, listen to me."

She shook her head at him. "No, there must be somewhere. Thunder Bluff with the Tauren? They're a peaceful and loving people, they will greet us with welcome arms, I've also heard they're beginning to learn about the light as well."

"They won't welcome me with open arms."

"Why not? They've got the Forsaken living amongst them, you're a lot nicer to look at than they are."

"They won't welcome me with open arms because I have slaughtered countless of their Taunka cousins whilst I was a Scourge Prince on this continent. I wouldn't be surprised if they have gotten word about me by now."

"Then we find somewhere else.. Maybe -"

Athrodar placed both his hands on her arms. "Stop, there is nowhere, not now and maybe not for a long time. With the countless lives lost to this war, not many people will be welcoming to the Forsaken, or those like me, especially after the Wrath Gate. Only the Forsaken will take in those who are dead and that's no place to raise our daughter."

"So that's it? There's nothing we can do? We can't live somewhere away from everyone and everything, quietly for the rest of our days, as long as we have each other?"

Athrodar smirked, pulling her in to his embrace. "You and I both know you would hate that. Not the three of us living alone, but with how bored you would get, having no Liadrin or family around to talk to."

Clea blew on her war horn, followed up by the rest of the commanders of the Alliance, Horde, Argent Crusade and Ebon Blade. "Alright ladies let's get moving. We have our task and that's to cut the head off another snake. Stick to the plan, follow your group leader and all should be fine."

Thalina pulled away from him when they all began to move out, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Let's go, _Lady_ Athrodar." She stuck her tongue out at him, catching up to the Dark Rangers who had already left the pair of them behind.

* * *

Cannon fire from the gunships above rocked the inside of the Cathedral, everyone remaining on their feet though a couple of them held themselves up against a nearby wall. "Do they have to fire on the fortress whilst were in it!?" Yelled Lyana, holding herself up against a wall.

Athrodar fired a frost arrow at an oncoming Darkfallen. "We need to get moving. The longer we stay here, the more Scourge will be alerted to our position."

Clea nodded at him, looking over to the rest of them. "This is it. Split up into your groups and search this place for their leader, meet back here once you've cleared out everything. Like I mentioned, the group that finds the bastard in charge will remain nearby but out of sight until everyone else catches up."

Three of the groups went their separate ways, one of them led by Lyana, the other two led by Dark Ranger's Marrah and Vorel. Athrodar and Thalina remained with Clea and two other dark rangers, the Dark Ranger-General using Athrodar for his ability to sense dark magic better than anyone else. "Whoever is in charge is close, but there seems to be more than one of them."

Thalina was surprised with how well he could sense necromantic magic, not believing he could pinpoint them with such accuracy. "Are you sure? This whole fortress looks like it uses dark magic."

Athrodar nodded. "I'm certain. They're nearby, maybe in the room after next, but they are definitely closer to us than the other groups."

"Then let's get moving. We'll set up a defensive perimeter in the next room and wait for the other groups to catch up before we take them out." Without waiting, Clea ran towards the next room, the rest of the group catching up shortly after.

Thalina sat down on the floor once they cleared out the room, leaning up against a wall with Athrodar sitting next to her in silence. She had something on her mind that was troubling her, elbowing Athrodar next to her to get his attention.

"Yes?"

"Does this all seem a bit too... easy?"

Athrodar looked around the room, noticing a lack of Scourge bodies and realising he didn't have to use up many arrows so far. "You know, I think you're right. Something doesn't feel right." Athrodar's ear twitched seconds later, standing up when it twitched again, certain that he had heard something coming from the next room.

Thalina watched him slowly walk over towards the door connecting the two rooms together. "What is it?"

He glanced back at her and placed a finger up to his mouth, telling her to be quiet as he neared the door, resting his ear against it to hear inside. He could hear chatter on the other side of the door, quickly followed by silence. Clea began to walk over to him, catching his attention momentarily and making him pull away from the door. As he took two steps away from it, a blade pierced the door from the other side, sticking through the exact location his head was placed against seconds earlier.

All four rangers drew their bows and nocked arrows, Thalina standing up and conjuring fire in both hands, waiting for something to break through the door. The sword was slowly pulled out from the other side, leaving a hole in the middle of the door to which Athrodar fired an arrow through, piercing one of the Darkfallen in the eye. They heard a thud as he hit the floor, silence taking over in the room shortly after as he died almost instantly.

"Don't just stand there you fools! Kill them!"

Clea looked towards Athrodar who returned her stare. "It appears their leader is a woman."

Athrodar knew exactly who their leader was and was hoping she wouldn't be here, especially since the Court of Bones was surrounded by four armies. He fired another arrow through the small hole in the door, throwing his bow back over his shoulder and unsheathing his two swords, running into the next room.

"WAIT!" Commanded Clea though it was too late, he had already charged in recklessly, the door shutting behind him. She span around to Thalina. "Get this door open, NOW!"

Thalina snapped out of her shock as she watched him run in, quickly making her way to the door and getting to work on countering the spell that kept them locked behind. "It's going to take some time, I've never done this before and its user is really strong."

Athrodar engaged several Darkfallen in combat, parrying and disarming each and every one that came towards him, though not killing them. "Lana'thel." He parried another sword that was swung at him, knocking the wielder to the floor with a swift kick. "Lana'thel, you need to-" He parried another one, this time slamming his sword into the floor and freezing everyone in place around him. "Lana'thel you need to leave. The Alliance and Horde are at the gates, we have agents already infiltrated into this Cathedral."

She slowly walked towards him, ignoring her followers warnings of caution, stopping directly in front of her Prince. "Athrodar..." She placed a hand on his face, making sure it was really him. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because he's a traitor, even to his own people!" Spat one of the Darkfallen, Athrodar silencing him by throwing a knife into one of his eyes and sticking deep into his brain.

"I am telling you this because I want you to remain safe. Return back to the Citadel, you will be out of harms way there." He leaned forward and kissed her, reluctantly pulling away after a few seconds. "Go."

Lana'thel ignored his initial instructions, throwing herself at him for a long hug, breaking away when she felt her spell on the door weakening. "What will you tell them? They know I am here."

"I'll tell them you teleported away before I could get to you." He kissed her once more. "Now go, but leave your followers behind." He looked around the room, noticing their curious faces staring at him. "I need to show some sort of victory here if you've gone."

Lana'thel nodded, teleporting away seconds before the door opened, the Dark Rangers along with Thalina bursting through them, firing arrows and launching balls of fire at the frozen in place Darkfallen. Athrodar doing his part by cutting down the closest Darkfallen to him, all five of them clearing out the room quickly.

Once the room was cleared, Clea put away her bow and unsheathed a dagger, storming over towards Athrodar and grabbing him by the neck, dragging the former Prince towards the closest wall and laying her dagger across his throat. "Where is she!?"

Thalina ran towards them, only taking a couple of steps before the two other Dark Rangers held her down, drawing their swords and pointing them at her. Athrodar watched Thalina get thrown onto the floor with swords pointed at her throat just like the dagger held at his. "Let her go."

Clea pressed the dagger against his throat a little more, splitting the layers of flesh there and drawing some blood. "Where. Is. She?"

Athrodar slowly pulled out his dagger he kept sheathed at his waist, looking into Clea's deadly, crimson eyes the whole time. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He pulled his dagger up to Clea's and pushed it away from his throat, the Dark Ranger-General's reflexes coming into action as she pounced backwards, unhooking several poison-laced knives and throwing them at him, two of which sticking into his chest as the rest went into the wall behind him. He fell down onto his knees as the poison quickly went to work, weakening him significantly enough to no longer remain a threat to her. "Where's their leader? The one who distinctively sounded like a woman."

Athrodar pulled the knives out, dropping them onto the floor and looking up at Clea. "She teleported away... just as the door... opened." He collapsed on the floor, the poison doing its job and paralysing him temporarily.

Clea flipped him over with her foot, looking down at him, signs of distrust in her eyes. She knelt down, placing the dagger well within his line of sight, knowing he couldn't move anything but his eyes. "If I find out you're lying to me, I will make your death slow and painful. You may have my Queen fooled to the extent she shares a bed with you, but know that I will be watching you carefully."

Clea nodded towards her two rangers, both of them moving their swords away from the Magister and walking out the room with their Dark Ranger-General. Thalina got up from where she was held down, running over to him to make sure he was okay. "Out of all the people I would have thought would take you in, the Forsaken seemed the most likely, now I'm not so sure." She frowned at what Clea said moments ago. "What does she mean by you sharing a bed with her Queen?"

Athrodar looked up at her, Thalina moving his head to her lap, pulling his hood down and stroking his hair. He slowly closed his eyes when she asked him again, knowing it was enough to tell her exactly what she didn't want to know.

Thalina swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to keep her emotions out of the one way conversation. "How long has it been going on?" She continued to stroke his hair, realising he couldn't answer for himself at the moment. "After Aldur'thar?" She noticed his eyes move away from her, knowing she was correct. She gave him a weak smile, trying to act like she was okay with it all.

Minutes crept by with the pair of them in silence, Thalina still stroking his hair as he laid there, unable to move. Liadrin along with a group of Crusader's came storming into the room, slowing down when they came across the many Darkfallen bodies as well as Athrodar and Thalina. Liadrin quickly ran over to them, dropping her sword next to Athrodar whilst the crusaders with her set up a defensive position. "What happened to him?"

Thalina watched as Liadrin placed her hands on him, checking for any wounds he may have sustained, coming across two puncture wounds in his chest. "He's been poisoned, it's only temporary so there's no need to worry."

Liadrin glanced over to the Magister, smirking at her choice of words. "I should be saying that to you." Her focus went back to Athrodar. "I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt."

"What are you going to do?"

"I need to use the light on him, it will hurt like hell but it will also leech the poison out of his system."

Thalina held him down as Liadrin got to work, Athrodar gritting his teeth as the light began to cleanse the poison coursing through his system. He thrashed about as the light also began to burn him, heal him then burn him again, causing him an intense amount of pain in the process. Thalina tried to distract him the best she could, starting up a random conversation with him, but to no avail.

When Liadrin was finished and certain the poison was out of his system, she fell backwards, exhausted by her efforts. "He should.. be fine."

Athrodar laid still, conscious yet silent, looking up at the Magister the whole time. Thalina on the other hand had a couple tears fall from her eyes and down onto his face, not liking the idea of him being in pain and having no way to help him. She stroked his face lightly, watching him slowly fade in and out on consciousness. "It's okay, I'm here." She whispered to him before he slipped into darkness once more.

Liadrin stuck her hand up in the air, still laying down on the ground. "We've conquered the Court of Bones by the way."

Thalina looked over to her. "We have one objective left." Her face lit up briefly, knowing they were almost done. She looked back down to Athrodar, her smile fading away instantly. "He's almost completed his task."


	37. Chapter 37

**Storming the Citadel**

Hours after their victory, Athrodar had recovered fully from the poison Clea had put into his system, as well as the burns from the light he had sustained from Liadrin. He had found a necromancer within the remaining Forsaken ranks who was willing to patch him up after a few words and a handful of coins.

The process took a couple of minutes, only needing to grow flesh over the partly healed wounds, an easy task for any necromancer. Athrodar had distanced himself from everyone after paying the healer, making his way to Highlord Fordring who was going over the final plans for the assault on the Citadel, a task they were going through with shortly after taking the Court of Bones. "We need keep the momentum going, strike hard and fast into the heart of the Scourge and deal a fatal enough blow to secure a foothold within the Citadel."

Athrodar approached the table Tirion, Darion, Saurfang and Muradin were standing around, Clea making her way towards them shortly after. "We best get moving fast then Highlord, we can't give them any time to recover from this attack."

Darion nodded. "He's right, every minute we stand here discussing what we are going to do, is a minute of reanimating for them. Who knows how many new soldiers they could be bringing back from the dead."

Tirion rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Although we can't let them recover from the victory we just got, as well as keeping this momentum going, those of us who are living need to rest before such a battle." He looked over to a couple groups of Alliance and Horde soldiers who were looking tired and exhausted. "Most of us don't have the energy to keep this momentum going."

Athrodar leaned on the table, looking directly at Tirion. "Then send in those of us who are dead, we recover our energy faster and as far as I know, none of us need to rest." He glanced over to Darion who was slowly nodding at him. "We can secure the entranceway and perhaps the first hall before backup is needed. I should know..." He looked at all of them around the table. "I helped build this Citadel as well as it being my home for just over a year."

Saurfang, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke up. "If it's needed at all, those of us who have the strength to keep fighting can accompany you." He glanced down to Muradin, the dwarf also remaining silent. "The Horde and the Alliance also have a gunship each if you need air support the further in you get."

Tirion grinned at the proposition. "Then it looks like we are ready to lay siege to the Citadel." He glanced over to Athrodar. "Get everyone ready who is going in first, We will need to take the entrance to the Citadel quickly before we can move on to the next room."

Athrodar saluted him, the rest of them doing the same before going their separate ways, Athrodar following Clea, pulling her to one side when they were far away from everyone. "What is it you want Athrodar?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I just wanted to know how Sylvanas would feel when she finds out what you did to me."

She grinned at him. "Depends."

"On?"

"If she will be angry at me for what I done, or if she will be angry at you for spending _a lot_ of time with that Magister of yours, after you specifically said you were going to distance yourself from her." She began to walk around him. "Though, I didn't think you would care what she thought. Unless you do plan on taking her up on her offer."

"How did you -"

"How did I know?" Clea laughed. "I'm her second, it's my duty to know what she wants.. and who."

Athrodar watched her closely, the Dark Ranger-General looking smug as she knew more than she let on. He extended out his hand after some careful consideration, Clea smirking as she took his hand, shaking it seconds later. "Perhaps she doesn't need to know everything."

Clea nodded. "Perhaps she doesn't." She glanced over to her Dark Rangers who were awaiting her return. "Let's get going, we have a Citadel to take."

* * *

 _Bang,_

The walls of Icecrown Citadel shook as the battering ram at the gates collided with the doors. Arthas was making his way towards the chamber that held Frostmourne, The Halls of Reflection, ignoring the spirits that had come forth from the blade and flooded the room, the most prominent of them being his father, King Terenas Menethil.

The late king stepped towards his son, Frostmourne standing up between the two of them. "Can you feel it, my son, closing in all around you?" Arthas scanned the room, taking in all the faces of the fallen. "The Light's justice has been awakened. The sins of the past have finally caught up to you."

 _Bang._

"You will be called to account for all the atrocities you've committed, the unspeakable horrors you've let loose upon this world, and the dark, ancient powers you've enslaved." Arthas eyed his blade up and down, turning his gaze back to his father. "Though my soul was one of the first to be devoured by your evil, there are thousands more bound within this blade, and they cry out for release."

 _Bang._

"Look now to your defences, my son, for the champions of justice gather at your gates!" Arthas eyed his sword once more, slowly moving has hand towards the blade. Once he picked up Frostmourne from its pedestal, the spirits in the room had disappeared, leaving him alone once more.

 _Bang._

The Lich King held Frostmourne tightly in his grasp, "Let them come. Frostmourne hungers." He began to make his way up to the Frozen Throne, and to the unfortunate Alliance commander who had been denied death after the Wrath Gate. Bolvar Fordragon was taken back to the Citadel and endlessly tortured by Arthas, his will unwavering as he fought tooth and nail, trying to not submit to him.

* * *

Athrodar and Darion sat side by side atop their Deathcharger's whilst the Highlord's captains sat behind them, waiting for the eventual crashing down of the doors. "Do you remember that time we first landed on Northrend together, in Dragonblight?"

Darion glanced over to him, the Highlord thinking back to the day. "I vaguely remember it, just on the doorstep of Venomspite, correct?"

He smirked at him. "Correct. I told you we would meet again when the time came to kill Arthas, remember that?"

The Highlord slowly nodded when his memory came back to him. "Yes... I told you we would meet at the foot of Icecrown Citadel itself." He turned his gaze towards the Citadel. "Looks like we both made it here." He glanced back over towards Athrodar. "Even if one of us played for the opposing team for a while."

Athrodar chuckled. "Hey, at least I am on this side once more, that's all that matters." Both Death Knights' watched on as the final swing of the battering ram knocked down the colossal twin doors that stood over them, making an almighty sounding crash that reverberating around the foot of the Citadel, those not present for the initial assault on the Citadel began to erupt into cheers as they realised they had breached the Lich King's sanctum.

Darion grinned, looking back at the camps set up at the foot of the Citadel, laughing at their cheers. "It appears the more tired members have suddenly had their energy renewed." He waved his arm forward, the Knight's of the Ebon Blade charging through into the Citadel and beginning the assault on Icecrown. "Let's start the beginning of the end, shall we?"

They both unsheathed their blades, charging forward on their horses and engaging the Scourge that met them at the entranceway, Athrodar diving off his mount and tackling two of them to the ground, unsheathing his second blade and cutting them both down before they could get an attack in. He looked around the corridor they found themselves in, noticing the Ebon Blade were holding their own against the Scourge a lot better than he gave them credit for. "You've done a good job training them Darion, I have to hand it to you."

The Highlord pulled a skeletal mage towards him with shadow tendrils that shot out from his hand, cutting its head clean off. "Why do you sound so surprised Captain? I trained you before you were taken to Northrend for the first time, they're just a fraction behind you."

Athrodar let out a hollow laugh, cutting down more skeletal warriors. "A fraction behind me.. You did see what I done at Scourgeholm, right?" Darion shook his head, grinning at the comment whilst cutting down more Scourge. Athrodar sheathing one of his sword and pulling out his bow just as a ball of fire was thrown past his head, hitting a more sneaky member of the Scourge that was about to claim his life. He looked back at the now burning corpse, turning around to face the caster. "Thal?"

The Magister parried a sword coming her way, extending out the palm of her free hand and blasting the skeletal warrior with fire. She quickly smiled at Athrodar before parrying another blow. "Surprise!" She swung her sword around, cutting off the head off the skeletal warrior. "You're welcome by the way."

Athrodar watched her carefully, not believing she was actually here, bending backwards to dodge a spear that was thrust at him, taking hold of it and spinning it around, thrusting it back into the Scourge minion that was wielding it seconds before. "What are you doing here Thal, where's Liadrin?"

Thalina incinerated two skeletal mages in the back lines, hurling another ball of fire towards a nerubian that was climbing down a nearby wall. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm fighting the Scourge." She lunged her blade deep into another nerubian that had come bounding towards her, her blade sticking deep into the undead spiders mouth. "And Liadrin is resting, something I didn't need as I done next to nothing in that Cathedral."

Athrodar moved back towards her, nocking and firing arrows at any Scourge coming their way. "I didn't want you here, not for the initial assault." He glanced over to Clea who was looking over at him every few seconds, knowing she had noticed Thalina there as well.

She was launching fire at any Scourge he hadn't aimed at, as well as burning the remains of those he had hit, making sure they couldn't be recalled back into service once more. "You didn't want me in Northrend altogether my love, yet here I am." She enchanted one of his arrows mid-air as it left his bow, watching the now flaming projectile hit its target. "I am of more use to you here than rotting away back home, now let me help."

He froze several Scourge in place ahead of them, Thalina reducing them to ash seconds later. "As long as you watch your back and stay safe, I won't have a problem with you fighting alongside us."

The rest of the Scourge in the narrow corridor fell within minutes, allowing everyone to surge forward into the first room. Thalina grabbed Athrodar and threw him up against a nearby wall, holding onto him by his tunic. "You don't get to choose whether or not I can fight with you, not any more."

Athrodar frowned at her. "What are you talking about? I didn't say I was in charge of you." He looked at the couple of Ebon Knights who were watching on with interest, turning their gazes away when they saw him looking at them. "Where is this coming from Thal?"

Her tension eased up a little, the grip she had on his tunic loosened. "I'm sorry... It's... It's been a long day." She began to rub her eyes with her free hand, letting go of him completely when she stumbled backwards a few paces.

Athrodar grabbed her before she fell, looking into her eyes for any signs of fatigue. "When was the last time you slept?"

She shook him off her. "I'm fine." She ran off towards the rest of the fighting, Athrodar sighing and following her shortly after.

The initial assault group had taken half of the room from the Scourge by the time Athrodar caught up, the former Prince firing a couple of frost arrows into nerubians climbing down from two saronite beams holding up the roof. Darion glanced back to him when the projectiles flew past his head. "You're still here? I thought we lost you the moment you stopped talking."

"Hah! It will take more than a couple of skeletal lackeys to kill me, Darion." Athrodar fired more arrows into the nerubians who were climbing down from the ceiling, pinning most of them to the walls with the frost enchanted projectiles. He scanned the room quickly, noticing they had almost taken it already. "This has gone a lot smoother than I thought it would."

Clea nocked an arrow into place beside him, firing her shadow arrows into some more nerubians climbing down from the ceiling. She spotted a giant BoneGolem walking towards them from the next room, widening her eyes when she saw the sheer scale of the thing. "I think you have spoken too soon, look!"

Athrodar followed Clea's gaze, resting it upon the giant BoneGolem stumbling towards them, the former Prince not failing to notice the giant axe it was carrying. "Watch out for that axe, and keep moving! This thing is slow so we need to be quicker." He fired a frost arrow at the Golem, the giant bone warrior slowly moving its arm up to block the projectile, getting hit by several more from the Dark Rangers in the meantime.

* * *

Sylvanas sat on her throne back in Undercity, listening to the reports on the Scarlet Crusade in Tirisfal Glades, read out to her by Anya who was taking over as acting Ranger-General whilst Clea was in Northrend. "The Monastery has seen its numbers increase since we left for Northrend. They are becoming increasingly bold in their advances to the north, some of them have traveled towards Brill but haven't actually attacked us yet."

The Banshee Queen was rubbing her temple, the fanatical group becoming a bigger threat than they were before she left for Northrend. She got up from her throne, pacing back and forth in front of it a little, turning to Anya once more. "What about at Tyr's hand? Do they increase in number as well?"

Anya began to search through the rest of the reports. "I'm not sure My Lady, but if..." She stopped looking through them when she came across something that caught her attention.

"What is it?"

She pulled out the report from the middle of the stack, handing it over to Sylvanas, watching her for a reaction. The Banshee Queen began to read it, scanning through the report quickly, having to read through it again but slower as she believed she misread it. Anya noticed something happen that she hadn't seen for years, Sylvanas began to grin happily at the report. "My Lady, is everything alright?"

Sylvanas looked up from the report, frowning at Anya. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"It's just that... Something happened to your face."

"My fa.. Oh." Sylvanas handed her the report, standing in front of throne and watching her acting Ranger-General read it. "It appears they have begun the assault on the Citadel." She began to sit back down on her throne, just as Nathanos and several Dark Rangers walked in to the room as well as Ambassador Sunsorrow. "Good, you're here." She looked directly at the Ambassador. "Tell your Regent Lord that the assault on Icecrown has started, I'm sure he would very much like to know."

The Ambassador bowed to her, Nathanos watching him leave. "So they have reached the Citadel." He looked towards Sylvanas. "Do you think it was all down to that Princeling?"

Sylvanas looked off to her right, staring at the floor by her throne, more precisely at the spot where Athrodar crouched down beside her to tell her Lor'themar was coming to aid in the taking of Naxxramas. "He doesn't like to be called Prince."

Nathanos looked around the throne room. "What does it matter what I call him, he's not here."

She sighed, resting her head on her hand. "What news of Silverpine?"

* * *

Athrodar worked on keeping the BoneGolem in place along with the other Death Knights, freezing the giant skeletal warrior in place with their frost abilities. This gave Thalina the chance she needed as well as the forsaken mages with them, to conjure a big fiery vortex around it. Seconds passed by since the vortex materialised, the massive Scourge minion collapsing to its knees before turning into nothing more than a big pile of ash.

Thalina fell to her knees shortly after, her energy spent from the task as well as not having slept since she departed from the Argent Tournament Grounds. Athrodar ran to her, sliding across the room on his knees when she looked like she was about to fall forward, catching her before she could. "You need to rest now, Thal. You're too tired to carry on."

The rest of the room was cleared out, several Death Knights from the Ebon Blade setting up a defensive perimeter at the entrance to the next hall. Thalina fell forward a little until her head rested his chest, letting out a big yawn in the meantime. "Stay here for a while... I need to rest on you."

Athrodar chuckled, moving slightly until he sat next to her, Thalina resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Just sleep now, we won't start anything major until everyone else is ready." He looked towards the second hall and the Death Knights fighting the Scourge minions inside, slowly starting to clear out the next room. He turned his head back around to look at her, feeling her slow breaths on his face as she fell into the dark embrace of sleep.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: I may have went on a writing spree as of late, especially since they've reached ICC now. I aim to make the boss fights a chapter each, though they may be two per chapter. Speaking of chapters, we are nearing the end and I aim to get this finished by around chapter 45.**

 **If you're interested to find out what happens after this story, feel free to tell me as I will be adding a short story every now and then of Athrodar's + Thalina's past as well as the occasional shorts of their future.**

 **As usual if you've enjoyed it so far, follow + favorite as well as leave a review as I would much appreciate any feedback you have to give.**

* * *

 **Lord Marrow-Gone**

A couple hours passed by after the taking of the first hall, those who were eager to keep fighting pushed on to the second, claiming it after an hour of fighting and securing it for the living. Athrodar remained seated beside Thalina who was constantly drifting in and out of sleep, occasionally waking up when something had scared her in her sleep, only to look up and see him still sitting by her side.

On the fourth time however, Athrodar wasn't there, which made her begin to panic, looking around the room and finding him talking to Tirion who had recently arrived. "We have secured the next room as well, pushing on to the final one that stands between us and the first General of the Scourge he has placed in this Citadel."

Tirion clapped him on the shoulder. "Good, the rest of us should be arriving shortly, then we can start the first major fight." Tirion glanced over Athrodar's shoulder, noticing Thalina was looking at the pair of them. "I believe your Magister is awake, and by the looks of it, a little bit on edge."

Athrodar glanced over his own shoulder, looking at Thalina momentarily before sighing. "She's not my... thank you." He pat Tirion on the arm before leaving him, walking back over to Thalina who smiled up at him when he stopped at her feet. He crouched down, taking hold of her hands. "Are you okay? You didn't look to be having the best of dreams."

She yawned, moving her hand to her mouth to cover it, nodding the whole time. "Yes, I'm good now. Help me up?"

Athrodar got up, pulling Thalina to her feet after, the Magister stumbling forward after getting light headed, the sheer speed on which she was pulled up making her dizzy, falling onto Athrodar who kept her on her feet. "Are you sure you're okay? " He rummaged through a bag she brought with her, pulling out what he presumed was water. "Drink some water, it will help."

Thalina took it, taking a big gulp before grimacing at the taste, handing it back to Athrodar whilst coughing at the potency of it. "Yeah, that's not water."

Athrodar moved the bottle to his nose, smelling the contents of it. "Is that... Suntouched Wine?" He looked over to Thalina who began to shrink away from him. "Really, you brought this with you?"

"It calms my nerves."

He shook his head, stopping to frown at her. "Aren't you a light weight?"

"No... maybe. Look, it was either that, or I do the rest of this a nervous wreck." She went to grab the bottle back off him, Athrodar moving it away from her. "Come on, give it."

Athrodar shook the bottle, noticing it felt lighter than it looked. "When did you get this?"

"That's none of your concern." She began to walk around him, trying to get the bottle off of him, Athrodar moving it from one hand to another, keeping it at least arms length away from her. She sighed, moving forward and placing the top of her head on him, dropping her shoulders in defeat. She began to fake cry, hoping it would guilt the former Prince into giving her it back.

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her, not expecting such a reaction. "Really, does it mean this much to you?" She slowly nodded her head against him, carrying on her charade of fake crying. He rolled his eyes, slowly moving the bottle down towards her. "Fine, you can have it back."

He tapped the bottle on her shoulder a couple of times, Thalina turning her head around to face it, slowly extending out her hand to take hold of it. When she did eventually grab it, she look up to him, a big smile playing on her face. "I knew that would work." The grin on his face however had thrown her off, frowning at him instead. "What?"

Athrodar looked over her shoulder, specifically towards the paladin who was standing behind her. "I believing he is trying to make my presence known." Liadrin tapped Thalina on the shoulder, the Magister slowly turning around to face her. "Hey!" Liadrin snatched the bottle out of Thalina's hand. "When did you steal this from me?"

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, so that's yours?"

"It's not what you think. I give it to those who are in pain whilst I heal them, something I'm sure you could have used earlier." She studied the bottle, also noticing it felt lighter than she last remembered. "How much has she had?"

Thalina rolled her eyes. "Can we not talk like I'm an alcoholic? I've just had a few sips every now and then."

Liadrin raised an eyebrow at her. "Thal, I lost this bottle before we started the assault on the Citadel, just after we had taken the Court of Bones."

The rest of the crusader's walked in to the first hall and the main staging area for those assaulting the Citadel. Tirion had moved to stand on top of some boxes, looking over the heads of everyone gathered in the room. Athrodar coughed to get the attention of Liadrin and Thalina, both of them turning around to face him. "I believe the Highlord is about to speak."

They both looked around, finding Tirion on top standing on top of the boxes. "This is our final stand. What happens here will echo through the ages. Regardless of outcome, they will know that we fought with honour. That we fought for the freedom and safety of our people." He scanned the faces of those looking up to him, watching the odd soldier nod slowly to his speech.

"Remember heroes, because that's what you are here, heroes. Fear is your greatest enemy in these befouled halls. Steel your heart and your soul will shine brighter than a thousand suns!" Athrodar looked over towards Clea who tried to stifle her laughter, the pair of them knowing their souls would never shine brightly again. "The enemy will falter at the sight of you. They will fall as the light of righteousness envelops them."

Tirion unsheathed the legendary sword Ashbringer, pointing it towards the second and third halls. "Our march upon Icecrown Citadel begins now!" The hall erupted in cheers and battle cries, several crusader's charging in to the Scourge lines and fighting alongside the Ebon Blade who were already in the Third and final room. Athrodar looked around the room, noticing something light up in many of the Crusader's eyes.

The former prince watched on as the rest of the champions of light charged into the next room, hearing the clashing of steel and war cries coming from within.

 _The task is almost complete, revenge will soon be mine._ He rolled up his sleeve, looking at the two lines he etched into his flesh, symbolising how many friends he has lost since his death, from any of his past lives. _Revenge will soon be ours._ He rolled down his sleeve, taking out his bow that was slung over his shoulder, joining everyone else in the next room.

Upon entering, he had noticed how far the Ebon Blade had pushed on their own, surprising him a little with how far the small organisation had come. He lazily kicked one of the skeletal mages that had been slain, rolling it over onto its back and firing an arrow into its skull when he saw blue flames still present where its eyes should have been.

Cheers came from the next room as the push from the Ebon Knights, aided by the Argent Crusade, had claimed the third and final room. All of it however was silenced when the first Scourge General made himself present, blasting cold air down the narrow passageway and into the room they all stood in. "This is the beginning and the end, mortals. None may enter the Master's sanctum."

Athrodar pushed his way past the ranks of Crusader's and Death Knights, standing at the front of the army. "Lord Marrowgar, I should have known Arthas would put you in the front lines."

Many of the crusader's were petrified at just the thought of fighting this enormous pile of bones, the giant axe alone scaring them into standing still. Both Highlord's Fordring and Mograine stood either side of Athrodar, not flinching away when the Scourge General let out a bellowing roar. "This will be the first of many horrors we lay to rest in this forsaken place." Tirion pulled down the visor to his helmet, holding onto Ashbringer tightly and charging into the room. "For the Light!"

As one, the Crusader's with him had found the courage to charge in as well, calling out their own battle cries along similar lines. Darion and Athrodar charged forward afterwards, the Knights of the Ebon Blade following behind quickly.

The Alliance and Horde accompanied them in the charge, either one taking a flank and surrounding Lord Marrowgar completely. Their soldiers hacking and slashing at whatever part of him they could reach, their archers firing bolts and arrows into the giant bone monstrosity with their spell casters firing their own projectiles at him, ranging from fire and arcane to shadow and nature, all of them avoiding the use of frost magic as the Scourge General looked to be powered by it.

Elaria had found herself fighting side by side with Liadrin and Thalina, both Blood Elves acting cautious around the Night Elf as they saw her become increasingly unstable when fighting the Scourge.

Lord Marrowgar swung his giant axe around in an arc, catching numerous fighters unaware and knocking back several whilst pulverising the few unfortunate enough to find themselves in the middle of it, reducing them to nothing but blood on a wall. The Scourge General lifted up one its hands into the sky as if summoning something. "Bound by Bones!"

Athrodar scanned the floor quickly, knowing something was coming up from underneath but was unsure of what. That was until several giant spiked bones shot out from the ground, impaling several of the Alliance before happening again on the Horde side, both factions taking heavy casualties already.

"Tirion!" Athrodar called over to the Paladin who was fighting nearby. "The next time he swing his axe around, cut off his arms, it will render him useless!"

Tirion nodded in understanding, holding onto his blade tightly and taking in as much of the lights power as he could muster, the blade slowly glowing with holy magic. Athrodar looked up to the Scourge General, noticing he was getting ready to swing his axe again. "Bone Storm!"

Athrodar, realising what was going to happen, got to the ground. "Everyone get down!" Those who had listened dropped to the floor, dodging the axe that was swinging towards them as its wielder began to spin on the spot, gradually getting faster. "Now Tirion!"

The Grand Paladin got up onto his feet, leaping towards the two arms holding onto the giant axe and swinging his blade down, connecting it with the skeletal horror. Both arms and axe went flying into a nearby wall and staying there as the blade buried itself firmly into the ice.

Athrodar got up onto his feet first, followed closely by Clea and her Dark Rangers, all of them firing a barrage of arrows into Lord Marrowgar before everyone else got to theirs as well. Thalina now found herself by Lumu and the druids that accompanied her to Northrend, all of them launching their own barrage of spells, slowly reducing the many bones that held the Scourge General together, to ash.

All Lord Marrowgar could do however, was stand there and take all the hits, having no way to launch a counter attack as both his arms had been severed, as well as his ability to summon more bone spikes. He quickly began to curl in on himself before exploding, sending bone flying in all directions and luckily hitting nobody in the process.. "I see … only darkness." His final words echoing through the chamber, shortly followed by cheers from all the soldiers. The first General was down.

The cheers were snuffed out however, when Arthas' voice echoed throughout the Citadel. "So, the Champions of Justice have found themselves within my Citadel."

Tirion stepped forward, looking around the room in an attempt to lay eyes on the Lich King. "Arthas! I swore that I would see you dead and the Scourge dismantled! I'm going to finish what I started at Light's Hope!"

Arthas' hollow laugh echoed throughout the Citadel. "You have brought my Prince with you... But that title is no longer yours, is it Athrodar?" He cackled once more. "Soon, I will have a new champion."

Torturous screams echoed in their room shortly after. "The breaking of this one has been taxing. The atrocities I have committed upon his soul. He has resisted for so long, but he will bow down before his king soon."

Athrodar, Tirion and Darion exchanged looks, unsure of who he was talking about. "NEVER! I... I will never... serve... you..."

The three of them were met up with Muradin and Saurfang shortly after, the dwarf looking to speak first. "Could it be, Lord Fordring? If Bolvar lives, mayhap there is hope fer peace between the Alliance and the Horde. We must reach the top o' this cursed place and free the paladin!"

Tirion nodded slowly, looking at all four of them. "By the light, it must be so."

Saurfang looked down at the Dwarf then back up to Tirion. "The paladin still lives? Is it possible, High Lord? Could he have survived?"

Tirion clapped his hand on Saurfang's shoulder. "The power of the light knows no bounds, Saurfang. His soul is under great strain, but he lives... for now."

Saurfang curled one of his hands into a ball, pounding it down on the other. "Then we must save him. If we rescue Bolvar Fordragon we may quell the unrest between the Alliance and the Horde." He looked down to Muradin, the dwarf nodding in agreement. The High Overlord gripped onto both of his axes, looking towards the next chamber that held the Scourge. "Our mission is clear now. The Lich King will answer for his crimes, and we will save Highlord Bolvar Fordragon."

Highlord Tirion nodded once more. "We will set off soon, gather your troops and allow them some respite before we move out once more." He looked at each of the three commanders and Athrodar, smiling a little. "We are one step closer to our goal, get yourselves ready. Dismissed."

They all went back to their factions, gathering up their troops and filling them in on the Bolvar situation. Athrodar on the other hand, found himself standing beside Lumu and the other druids, as well as the shaman that accompanied them to the Argent Vanguard. They were all watching Thalina, Liadrin and Elaria sort out their problems with a heated argument. "How long has this been going on for?"

Lumu pulled on one of his braids, shaking his head slightly. "I cannot say, though from what I am seeing, something has been troubling all three of them for some time."

They all watched on for a couple more minutes until Thalina conjured fire around one of her hands, balling it up into a fist and looking like she was about to hit Elaria. Athrodar quickly stepped in between the three of them, Lumu and the other Tauren pulled Liadrin away whilst the two Night Elf druids pulled Elaria away. The Draenei held back Thalina, cooling down her hand with shamanistic waters so it was no longer aflame.

Athrodar pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated with what was going on between the three of them. "You all need to calm down and sort out your differences without resorting to violence, especially now. We have much more pressing concerns without you three fighting within our ranks." He looked over to Liadrin, the Blood Knight Matriarch being the one person he hoped he could rely on. "Especially you."

She glared at him, not understanding why he singled her out. "What do you mean, _especially you?_ "

"You should know better than to start petty fights whilst we're _this_ close to defeating the Lich King."

She gasped at him. "I didn't start anything! It was-"

"I don't care who started it." He looked over towards Thalina now. "Even if they believe they had a good reason."

She scoffed when she realised he was talking about her. "She doesn't listen if you just talk to her, you should know that better than anyone."

"That's rich coming from the spoilt daughter of a Grand Magister!" Thalina shot a glare towards Elaria who in turn shot one back at her. "Considering she doesn't listen to those she loves."

"Just like you didn't listen to Clara when she said this wasn't your war?"

Upon hearing her words, Elaria broke free from the grip of the two Night Elves holding her back, her anger dictating her next actions as she unsheathed one of her blades and charged towards Thalina. Everyone stood still as the swiftness in her moves caught them all off guard, matched with their shock at Thalina's harsh words, it was a surprise to them all when Athrodar intercepted the charging assassin.

He gripped her by the throat, disarming her swiftly. "Enough! The both of you!" He let go of Elaria, watching her drop to the floor and gasp for air, his grip on her neck was tighter than he meant. "You," He pointed towards Thalina. "Apologise to her now, no questions asked."

"But.."

"Now, Thalina."

She sighed, kicking her foot back and forth along the floor. "Sorry..."

He turned to face Elaria who was on her knees, one hand on her throat as she rubbed where he held her. "And you." He sighed. "Elaria... You need to get past this Clara thing." She looked up to him, glaring into his scarred soul. "She is dead Elaria, nothing can or will bring her back." She moved to stand up, Athrodar placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her grounded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She spat through gritted teeth.

"Yes you do." He crouched down in front of her, placing his second hand on her other shoulder. "You've been blinded by vengeance ever since she died and it's been eating away at you." He glanced back towards Thalina and Liadrin, both of them standing nearby and watching them. "You're destroying what little relationships you have left because of it."

She looked at him in a different light now, the red haze of anger and vengeance slowly lifting as she replayed his words in her head. "What are you saying..?"

"Hold on to that need for revenge in here." He pointed to her stomach. "But keep your love for Clara and your friends in here." He pointed to her heart. "And here." He pointed to her head. "Act with your head and your heart, not with your stomach." He smirked at her. "Although, you can listen to your stomach more when you're not fighting."

She laughed, closing her eyes and nodding. "You're right... Thank you."

He lightly punched her arm. "Good, because we still have several Generals left and I need you at your best." The pair of them got to their feet, Elaria throwing her arms around him for a big hug. "Okay, we really need to work on this hugging situation."

Instead of laughing, she began to cry into his shoulder. Her emotions getting the better of her as she was reminded of Clara's death, gently calling out her name in an attempt to bring her back. Athrodar stood there whilst she wept, awkwardly patting her on the back and looking back to Thalina, who was watching on, grinning when he looked at her for help. "You've got this handled, don't worry."

Athrodar pulled Elaria off him, watching her closely at arms length until she looked at him. "Suck it up, we've all lost somebody in this war. I need you to pull it together and get your game face on, got it?" She nodded at him after a couple of seconds, wiping away her tears. "Good, let's get going."


	39. Chapter 39

**Lady Deathwhisper**

Lord Marrowgar's room had been cleared of the dead, all being sent back to their respective capital cities for mourning. Mages were creating portals at the foot of the Citadel to send them back, not receiving any reinforcements in return as their losses at the Wrath Gate were still weighing heavy on everyone.

Athrodar and Elaria, along with Clea and a handful of her Dark Rangers were scouting out the next rooms, coming across a General and their next target, Lady Deathwhisper. Just like Kel'Thuzad, she was a Lich. "I count fifteen, maybe twenty guards around her."

Elaria shook her head. "More like worshippers. Those two big guys either side of her are her guards, I'm certain of it."

Clea slowly nodded her head. "Maybe so, but if it's anything like Naxxramas, those worshippers will still put up a fight as if they were her guards." She glanced back towards her dark rangers, sending them back to Tirion to update him on the situation.

Elaria watched them leave, turning to face Athrodar who remained quiet next to her. "Are you really going to leave once this is all over?"

The former Prince glanced over towards Clea who was pretending not to listen, though her ear twitched when he was silent for longer than she expected. "Yes."

All three of them ducked down when a patrol walked past them, Elaria moving her tone to a whisper. "Is it because I suggested it back in Ymirheim? Because I wasn't -"

"No it's not because of that." Athrodar peered round the corner, the patrol from earlier having already walked back down to their General. "But it did however remind me of my.. I guess you could call my curse."

Clea walked up to the pair of them, standing next to Athrodar though facing the opposite direction. "We need to get moving before we are found." She glanced over to Elaria who was still watching Lady Deathwhisper and her followers, deciding to switch to Thalassian. "Her breathing will get their attention before we do."

Athrodar tapped on Elaria's shoulder, the Night Elf glancing back at him. "Return to Tirion, tell him everything we know and that he should get everyone ready for the next assault." Elaria nodded, running off to meet Tirion who was waiting for their return. Athrodar glanced down to Clea who was waiting by his side, switching to Thalassian as well. "Happy?"

She rolled her eyes, taking two steps away before spinning back around to face him. "Why do you spend a lot of your time with the living?"

He chuckled at her question. "Unless I'm mistaken, the living out number the forsaken by a lot. But if you're talking about why I'm around the people who were in my life before I died, it's because they're more welcoming to me than anyone else has been."

Clea snorted, trying to hide her laughter. "I'm sorry, I didn't know the Prince of Death needed to be cosseted. After all, aren't you leaving them once all this is over?" She looked around, finding nobody close enough to listen in on their conversation, even if they were still talking Thalassian. "If you do plan on joining the Forsaken, you'd do well to stick with us for the rest of this campaign."

The former Prince looked over her shoulder, several crusaders catching his attention. He glanced back down to Clea who was waiting for an answer. "That's if I do decide to join the Forsaken after this."

More crusaders began to appear along with the Knights of the Ebon Blade close behind, all of which were remaining silent as they heard Lady Deathwhisper begin to talk in the next room. "Fix your eyes upon your crude hands! The sinew, the soft meat, the dark blood coursing within!" Clea glanced over to Athrodar, the former Prince lowering his hand, signalling for those with them to remain low.

"It is a weakness! A crippling flaw! A joke played by the creators upon their own creations! The sooner you come to accept your condition as a defect, the sooner you will find yourselves in a position to transcend it!" Clea's Dark Rangers made their way to their Ranger-General, Athrodar nodding over to them, all of them making their way into the same room as Lady Deathwhisper.

"Through our master all things are possible! His power is without limit, and his will unbending! Those who oppose him will be destroyed utterly!" Tirion and Darion made their way to the entrance of the room, watching Athrodar, Clea and her Dark Rangers get into position in the shadows around the edges. "And those who serve, who serve wholly, unquestioningly, with utter devotion of mind soul? Elevated! To heights beyond your ken!"

Thalina's impatience was slowly getting the better of her, quickly tapping her foot on the ground, waiting for the all clear to attack. Liadrin placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping the Magister from tapping.

"You have found your way here, because you are among the few gifted with true vision in a world cursed with blindness! You can see through the fog that hangs over this world like a shroud and grasp where true power lies!" Athrodar let out a sharp whistle, shortly followed by a barrage of arrows sinking into the followers on their knees. Just as the first volley of arrows hit, Tirion, Darion and their armies charged in, cutting down the rest of them that were slowly getting up onto their feet.

"What is this disturbance!?" Cried Lady Deathwhisper, throwing up a magical barrier around herself. "You dare trespass on this hallowed ground? This shall be your final resting place." Several portals opened up on the edges of the room, allowing reinforcements to walk through them and join the fight.

"Soldiers of the light, take care of those portals!" Cried Tirion, taking out two Scourge Death Knights coming his way. Thalina and several mages began to work on the magical barrier around the Lich, the shield blocking any attack coming her way. Athrodar along with Liadrin, Clea and her Dark Rangers got to work on the two Scourge guards either side of the Lich, both dropping within a minute of each other.

Lumu and his fellow druids all shifted into their bear and cat forms, mauling several of the reinforcements being sent through the portals before they could fully grasp the current situation their General was in. Athrodar glanced over to Thalina and the mages with her. "Thal, how long until this barrier is down!?"

Thalina strained as her magic was fighting against that of a superior mage's, beads of sweat began to roll down her face as she grit her teeth, working hard on dropping the barrier. Several strands of hair stuck to her head as she concentrated solely on the task at hand. "It's... almost... down!"

The combined might of the Crusader's and the Ebon Blade were keeping the reinforcements at bay, now partnered with Clea and her Dark Rangers, cutting down more of them as soon as they walked through it. Athrodar watched the barrier on the Lich begin to shimmer, nocking an arrow in place and enchanting it with frost, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. He watched closely, noticing it shimmer once more and firing the arrow at it, watching the projectile connect with the barrier and shatter it. "Now!" He cried, unsheathing his swords and charging towards the Lich.

"Enough! I see I must take matters into my own hands!" Lady Deathwhisper closed the portals around the room, absorbing their powers and letting out an brief yet powerful arcane explosion that sent everyone back several yards. The Lich extended her skeletal hand out towards several of the dead Scourge, reanimating them all. "Take this blessing and show these intruders a taste, of our master's power."

Whilst some of them remained intact, others had their flesh fall off of bone, leaving them as skeletons in their respective armours. They were also stronger than they were before, a couple of them swinging their weapons at the soldiers daring enough to engage them in combat, knocking them back several feet when their weapons connected to their chest.

Witnessing this, Athrodar made his way towards the two biggest warriors, lunging both of his blades deep into one of the Scourge minions back, yet it carried on as if it was nothing, backhanding the former Prince across the face and sending him tumbling towards the other, receiving a boot to the gut in response. Now without his swords, he unhooked a couple of throwing knives and used them as daggers, parrying a giant hammer swinging down towards him.

As the mace landed next to his head, he punched the wielder across the face, following it up by plunging one of the knives into its plated foot, flexing his powers that were bestowed upon him by the Lich King and freezing the Scourge minion entirely. The second Scourge minion, still having both of Athrodar's swords stuck in his back, charged at him, the former Prince rolling out the way when his swung his claymore down from above his head, landing where he lay moments before.

Athrodar pulled out an arrow from his quiver, unslinging his bow and firing the projectile into side of the second Scourge minion who dropped to one knee as soon as it hit. Just as it got back up onto its feet, fire began to appear within its plated boots, quickly spreading up the minion and engulfing him fully in flames. The first minion suffered a similar fate shortly afterwards, still remaining completely frozen until it begun to burn as well.

Thalina slowly stepped closer to the burning bodies, her hands twisting around slowly as the fire began to intensify, both bodies burning brighter the closer she got to them. Athrodar shielded his eyes from blinding element, moving his arm down slightly to spot the Magister standing over them, her face showing she was slightly enjoying the idea of burning them into nothing. "Thal! You can stop!" He cried, slowly making his way towards her.

Lady Deathwhisper blasted everyone who was fighting her, away once more, looking over towards Thalina and admiring her power. "My my, you _would_ make a powerful minion of the Scourge." The Magister snapped around to face the Lich, countering any spell the Scourge General began to throw her way, throwing a couple of her own at her and pushing her back slightly after every hit. "Impossible! You cannot... defeat me so... easily!"

Thalina continued to counter her spells, sensing Lady Deathwhisper's power was waning and smirking when she felt something within the Lich break away and open her up to one final spell. The fire's in the Magister's eyes began to glow brightly, covering herself in flames seconds later and holding her hand our towards the Lich, burning away at the cloth rags she was wearing. "You cannot win little mage! The master won't allow it!"

She let out a small laugh. "Try me." Within seconds the flames that covered Thalina had shot out towards the Lich, incinerating her where she stood, reducing the Scourge General to nothing more than a pile of ash. The reanimated bodies of her followers collapsed to the floor soon after, though nobody cheered in victory, all of them too stunned to celebrate in that very moment.

Athrodar looked over to Highlord Fordring. "Tirion, find the phylactery and kill this Lich permanently." The Highlord nodded, relaying the message to everyone else. Athrodar made his way slowly over to Thalina who's body language showed she was still furious, standing in front of the mage and blocking her view of the pile of ashes that was Lady Deathwhisper. "Thal look at me."

Her head shot up from where her eyes were fixed, only now noticing he was standing there which extinguished the flames in her eyes instantly. She smiled at him weakly, placing both hands on his face and kissing him, pulling away and hugging him after. "You're alive..."

Athrodar chuckled, placing his hands on either side of her face and tilting her head up to look at him. "Thal, I've not been alive for over two years. But I get what you mean." He kissed her forehead. "What happened just now? You didn't look in control."

She shook her head, place it back against his chest. "I thought I was about to lose you again, seeing those two Scourge warriors kick you about like you were nothing scared me." She grit her teeth, holding onto his tunic tightly. "So I taught them a lesson."

The former Prince slowly nodded, looking over towards the remains of Lady Deathwhisper. "And with her?"

Thalina looked over towards the pile of ashes. "She summoned them, then reanimated them... I had to finish her off."

Athrodar looked around the room, noticing Tirion had found the phylactery and destroyed it. He also spotted Liadrin and Elaria looking over towards the two of them, nodding his head at them when they slowly began to walk over. "I think maybe Liadrin and Elaria want to talk to you."

"You're damn right we do, what the hell was that!?" Cried Liadrin, looking a little confused on how to feel about it all.

"It was awesome, that's what it was." Elaria was a little more easier to read, her face looking like she had just witnessed Elune herself. "The way you blasted her away into nothing was just... wow!"

Thalina chuckled, pulling herself off Athrodar and facing both Elaria and Liadrin. "It was pretty cool wasn't it?" She stretched her limbs. "I hadn't felt that strong since before the Scourge, training my magic near the Sunwell always gave a lot of power."

"That must be draining though, using that much power. I know it took a lot out of me when I had to focus my healing on this one when he got poisoned, trying to not burn him to such an extent it done more harm than good."

The Magister nodded, losing balance a little as her eyes got heavier with every passing second. "It is and I think I need to rest." Liadrin and Elaria helped her sit down, making sure she was comfortable. She began to look around, not finding Athrodar nearby. "Where did he go?" They all began to look around the room now, none of them able to lay eyes upon the former Prince or any of the Dark Rangers.

Athrodar along with Clea and her Dark Rangers had made their way to the rest of the Horde who were boarding their gunship, preparing to launch an attack on the Citadel further up, the Alliance doing the same. "High Overlord, are we ready to move out?"

Saurfang looked towards the captain of the gunship, getting a nod in return when all was clear. "I believe so Captain. How far are they into the Citadel?"

"Two Generals down so far, though I believe the worse is yet to come."

Clea stood by Athrodar's side, only deciding to speak when she felt necessary. "Didn't you say you knew this place inside and out?"

"I did, though I wasn't in charge of the lucky few who were picked to become Generals. That was down to Arthas and Arthas alone."

"Do you have any idea on how many we are still yet to face?"

Athrodar rubbed his chin, looking up towards the part of the Citadel they were going to assault, the gunship quickly bringing them closer to their target. "If memory serves me right and if they have gone through with their plans, I'd say seven, maybe eight. That doesn't include Arthas himself."

Saurfang nodded slowly, turning to face Athrodar when something crossed his mind. "You say if they had gone through with their plans, what would they be exactly?"

"Resurrecting the three Blood-Prince's you have already killed, as well as the construction of one or two new types of abominations. That alone is five, but you also have to account for the creator of the two abominations, the Blood-Queen and the Frost Queen, who I might add, is a skeletal dragon."

Clea gathered up her Dark Rangers around Athrodar, Saurfang returning to the helm of the Gunship. "Do we know what we're going to face next?"

Athrodar glanced over towards Saurfang, switching to Thalassian so the High Overlord couldn't understand him. "They didn't recover Saurfang's boy, correct?" Several of the Dark Rangers nodded, confirming Athrodar's suspicions. "Then I believe Arthas has done to him what he did to me and that he could be the next one we face."

"As you sure?"

He shook his head."No, but we must prepare for the possibility he is."

The gunship approached an outcropped platform on the edge of the Citadel, slowing down as it neared its docking location, Saurfang walking down the steps of the helm to his quarters, swapping out his two axes for a twin bladed battleaxe. He walked out of his cabin as they docked, following the Horde soldiers off the gunship and onto the platform, coming across a set of twin doors that leads into the Citadel.

"Kor'kron move out, Athrodar, Clea watch your backs, the Scourge has been..."

The set of doors opened up, Saurfang's son, Dranosh, came running out of them, his skin taking that of the colour grey whilst giving off a deathly chilled aura around him. He looked towards his father who stood there stunned at what his boy had become, laughing away at the old orc. "Join me, father. Join me and we will crush this world in the name of the Scourge. For the glory of the Lich King!"

* * *

 **A/N: I know I have left out the Gunship battle, but I couldn't think of a way to include it whilst having the Alliance and Horde work together. So I hope you would allow me this small change on how the battle for ICC actually went down as I feel it didn't fit with the whole 'Horde and Alliance truce whilst the Lich King is still alive' thing I have going on.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Deathbringer Saurfang**

The Alliance gunship flew by, catching everyone's attention as it docked next to the Horde gunship. Muradin along with the Alliance soldiers climbed off it, standing side by side with the Horde soldiers, all looking to face off against the third General. Dranosh unsheathed his new twin axe, pointing it towards the two armies. "For every Horde soldier that you killed, for every Alliance dog that fell, the Lich King's armies grew." He gripped his axe tightly, pointing it directly at Athrodar. "Even now the Val'kyr work to raise your fallen... as Scourge."

Muradin laughed, pointing his mace towards Dranosh whilst looking back at the Alliance soldiers accompanying him. "A lone Orc? Against the might of the Alliance?"

The dwarf looked back at the Scourge General, gripping onto his mace with both hands. Athrodar raised an eyebrow at the stout warrior, taking in his change of body language as it shifted from neutral to that of a fighting stance. The former Prince extended out his hand to stop the Dwarven Prince. "Muradin wait!"

Though it was already too late. The legendary dwarf had raised his mace into the air and charged forward with the rest of the Alliance following him. Dranosh caught their movements as soon as it happened, extending out one hand towards them and sending out several shadowy orbs. All of the soldiers were hit by the orbs, lifting them into the air several feet whilst it slowly began to choke them. Dranosh just looked up at them and laughed. "Dwarves..."

High Overlord Saurfang stepped forward, resting his twin bladed battleaxe in both hands, looking his son in the eyes and seeing nothing but anger in them. "My boy died at the Wrath Gate. I am here only to collect his body."

Dranosh exhaled through his nose, though being dead he didn't need to do such a thing, the frigid air freezing the nose ring he had. "Stubborn and old. What chance do you have? I am stronger and more powerful than you ever were!"

Varok looked at his boy, feeling a little sorry for him. "We named him Dranosh. It means "Heart of Draenor" in Orcish. I would not let the warlocks take him. My boy would be safe, hidden away by the elders of Garadar." The High Overlord looked back towards Athrodar, nodding slightly before turning back to his son. Athrodar, slowly making his way around the edges of the platform to sneak up on the Deathbringer. "I made a promise to his mother before she died, that I would cross the Dark Portal alone. Whether I lived or died, my son would be safe, untainted."

The High Overlord gripped his axe tightly, looking down at his son's reforged weapon. "Today, I fulfil that promise." Varok charged towards his son, Dranosh blocking and parrying every hit, returning a few of his own that met a similar fate. Quickly growing tired of getting nowhere, the Deathbringer launched another shadowy orb, this time towards his father, Varok joining the Alliance in the air seconds later, also choking and gasping for air.

"Pathetic old Orc." Dranosh looked over towards Athrodar, the former Prince failing to get behind him in time. "Come then _Prince_ , come and face the might of the Scourge!"

Athrodar unhooked several knives, throwing them towards the Deathbringer and watching them glance off him, his plated armour being almost impenetrable to his projectiles. The rest of the Horde charged at him, Dranosh extending out one hand towards a couple of them and using blood magic on the two unlucky soldiers, draining their very life essence in seconds.

They both dropped to the floor, their lifeless husks of a body turning to dust as they hit the saronite ground, several blood worms wriggling out of the dust seconds later. They began to make their way towards Clea, the Ranger-General kicking several of them off the platform whilst others began to make their way towards the unsuspecting Horde soldiers.

Dranosh began to walk towards Athrodar, the former Prince unslinging his bow and firing a couple arrows at him, all of them enchanted with frost though only the last one stuck into the Deathbringer, piercing his shoulder though he carried on like it was nothing. "I knew you were holding back on me when we last met, Princeling. But don't think I will make the same mistake."

Athrodar grinned, throwing his bow to one side and unsheathing both his swords, enchanting them instantly with frost and engraving runes on them at the same time. "I didn't think you would."

* * *

The Argent Crusade were making their way through the Citadel on their own, splitting away from the Ebon Blade and making their way through the unending tide of Scourge that was becoming a much bigger threat the further in they got. "Highlord, I think we should hold ground here and wait until the Ebon Blade catch up, or at the very least find a safer way through this already dangerous Citadel."

Tirion looked around the room they were currently in, coming to the exact same conclusion himself. "I believe you're right Liadrin, very well. Allow those who need to catch their breath some rest whilst those still able enough to fight, set up a perimeter around the room."

Liadrin saluted, making her way around the room and assessing everyone individually, their numbers a lot smaller than when they began the assault on Aldur'thar. She made it to Elaria and Thalina last, telling the Magister to rest as she had been fighting non-stop since the Court of Bones, though she didn't want to listen. "I am strong enough to keep on fighting Li Li, don't make me -"

"I've said all I need to say on this matter Thalina," The use of her full name wasn't lost on the Magister. "You are not to fight until you are ready. We can't afford to lose anyone else out here, let alone someone with your talents." She looked over to Elaria who was checking on her blades. "Watch her for me, I trust you will make sure she gets the rest she needs."

Elaria looked down at Thalina who looked visibly annoyed. "Sure, I can do that. No problem." Liadrin patted her on the arm, walking back towards Tirion shortly after. As soon as the Paladin left, Thalina tried to get up, being pushed down by Elaria instantly. "I know you don't normally listen to people when they tell you something, but I really think you should listen to her. Now's not the time to start ignoring orders."

Thalina glared up at the Night Elf, trying to stand up again and ending up back on the floor. "I can't sit here and do nothing Elaria, not whilst he's out there fighting Light knows what, I have to do something!"

"What you have to do is rest and get your strength back. I won't be far, just a couple feet away." Elaria glanced up towards Lumu who had been making his way over slowly, having noticed the Magister looking a little agitated. "You look to be getting company anyway and I'm sure he will make sure you stick to the orders given to you."

Thalina looked over towards Lumu, smiling a little when she saw him in his cat form. "I suppose I could rest my eyes for a while, until we're ready to move out again." She lifted up her arm, allowing Lumu to lay his head on her lap, the druid knowing his presence in his current form always calmed her.

Elaria looked down at the two of them, smirking when Lumu began to purr. "He seems to know exactly what to do to make you follow orders."

Thalina smiled at the druid when he flicked his ear as she brushed one hand over it. "That's because I told him of my life back home." She glanced up to Elaria who raised an eyebrow back down at her, rolling her eyes in return. "That doesn't include my day dreaming of Athrodar." She began to scratch behind Lumu's ear. "I told him about when my village's Lynx cat would sleep on me when I used to go into the nearby forest and read." She smiled some more at the druid. "He's just trying to make me feel like I'm back home."

The Magister yawned, closing her eyes briefly and leaning down until her head was resting on the druid, the gentle purring coming from Lumu was quickly lulling her to sleep, Elaria staying nearby until she was certain the Magister was asleep. She walked to her post shortly after, taking up watch on the perimeter until they were ready to move out. She looked around her and noticed she was alone, falling back against a nearby wall and gently weeping into her hands, finally finding the alone time she craved to mourn Clara's death.

* * *

"Help me!" Cried an Orc soldier, taking off his chest armour and beginning to scratch at his bare chest, trying to rip out the blood worm that was crawling around inside him.

Clea watched on in horror as his chest began to bulge as the blood worm was finding a way out, breaking several of the Orc's ribs and bursting out his chest, the unfortunate Orc falling to both knees and slumping backwards as several more blood worms began to wriggle out of him. "Someone burn him, quickly!" She ordered several mages, some one them throwing up as they saw what happened, the others quickly burning the body with all the blood worms still inside.

Athrodar parried the Deathbringer's axe, knocking it away from his hands as his second sword met up with the first, completely disarming the Scourge General. The former Prince pointed the sword at his throat, pressing the tip of it against his flesh, slowly piercing his skin. "It is over Dranosh."

The Scourge General let out a hollow laugh, knowing he had been defeated. "Do it." Athrodar stared at him, not moving in for the kill, frustrating Dranosh so much that he placed both his hands on the blade. "Do it!"

Clea stepped behind the orc, plunging her blade into his back and through the other side, whispering into his ear. "You deserved better than this." She pulled out her blade and kicked the orc in the back, knocking him on to his stomach.

"I... Am... Released." He muttered, the lights in his eyes dying out shortly after. The Alliance soldiers along with Muradin and Saurfang fell to the floor, all of them coughing and gasping for air.

The dwarf got up onto his feet first, standing over the body of Dranosh, the Alliance soldiers coming to his side quickly and making a circle around the fallen General. Saurfang began to walk over to his son, Muradin standing in his way. "Don't force my hand, orc. We can't let you pass."

Athrodar looked over towards them, not believing what he was hearing. "Are you serious?"

Saurfang sighed. "Behind you lies the body of my only son. Nothing will keep me from him."

Muradin looked over towards Athrodar, then back at his soldiers, finally facing Saurfang who had slowly began to move closer to his son. "I can't do it... Get back on your ship and we'll spare ye life."

Athrodar stepped closer to Muradin, standing in between both him and Saurfang. "Muradin, think about what you're doing for a second. If that were one of your brothers, you would want the Horde to allow you to retrieve his body, surely."

He sighed, nodding slowly. "Aye, ye be right in saying so lad." He looked over towards Saurfang, taking a couple steps to his right and allowing safe passage to his son. "Go, before I change me mind."

Saurfang collected his sons body, walking over towards the Horde gunship. "I will not forget this kindness, master dwarf." He turned towards Athrodar. "Honour, Captain. No matter how dire the battle... never forsake it!" The High Overlord walked onto his gunship, taking his son's body into his cabin.

Clea turned towards Dark Ranger Vorel, handing her a message. "Go with the High Overlord, back to Dalaran. Take the portal to Undercity and hand this to Lady Sylvanas. It will update her on the current situation." Vorel looked at the scroll, taking it off her Ranger-General and boarding the gunship shortly after. Clea walked over towards Athrodar, pulling him to one side and away from everyone. "Why did you hesitate?"

Athrodar looked off into the distance, turning his head to face her once more when she snapped her fingers at him. "I'm not sure..."

Clea looked him up and down, knowing something about him was off but wasn't sure as to what. "Make sure it doesn't happen again. We can't afford any slip ups, not now." She walked away from him shortly after, gathering up her Dark Rangers and venturing into the Citadel. The rest of the Horde were boarding the gunship with their High Overlord, the Alliance doing the same and returning to Dalaran, their numbers sitting at just a fraction of what they once were.

Athrodar watched both gunships pack up and leave, sighing and walking over towards his bow, picking it up and slinging it over his shoulder before catching up with Clea and her Dark Rangers. They came across a crossroads in the middle of the Citadel, Athrodar looking over to the other side and laying his eyes on the Crimson Halls, the pit in his stomach becoming bigger when as he was getting closer to facing Lana'thel.

The Argent Crusade and Ebon Blade caught up with them, Darion and Tirion greeting Athrodar before he informed them of their current situation. "These are the last three wings before we reach Arthas, all of them needing to be taken out before we get to him."

Tirion looked at each wing, slowly nodding his head when he got an idea. "How about we all take a wing each? That way we can kill them all simultaneously and stop them from reinforcing. Isn't that what you did in Naxxramas?"

"Yes, but Naxxramas was nothing compared to this. Arthas has left his most powerful minions in this Citadel, which will make it a lot more difficult to do the same thing."

"Then we take them one at a time." Suggested Thalina who pushed her way to the front. "We take them one wing at a time and try to keep our casualties to a minimum." She looked around at their dwindling numbers. "We don't have a lot to spare, so we need to be defensive whilst still trying to kill them."

"Me and my Dark Rangers can scout ahead, try to get an idea on what we're up against. Unless Athrodar can give us insight on what we're about to face." They all looked towards the former Prince who was staring off into the distance, not paying any attention to them.

Thalina tugged on his arm, though he still didn't pay any attention. She looked back towards everyone else, all of them looking at him and waiting. "Let me talk to him, see what's up." She dragged him away from everyone, Athrodar complying and finally snapping out his entranced state when they were alone. Thalina sat him down, kneeling down in front of him and taking his hands in hers. "What's wrong?"

Athrodar glanced over to everyone else, switching to Thalassian when he began to speak. "She's here."

"Who?"

"Lana'thel."

Liadrin's ear twitched as she overheard their conversation, being one of the few who understood them. She made her way over towards them, placing her hands on her waist and looking down at them, deciding to speak Thalassian as well. "Did you say Lana'thel?"

Athrodar nodded. "She's in the hall opposite us and... I don't think I can do it."

Liadrin frowned. "Do what?"

It was Thalina who answered, squeezing his hands before doing so. "He doesn't think he can bring himself to kill her."

"There must be a way to free her. I mean, we freed you."

Athrodar shrugged. "I don't know, maybe... But she has been under his influence since the end of the Third War, who knows how powerful he's made their connection now. Especially after I broke free, twice."

Clea walked over to them, having grown tired of waiting. "Are we good? Or do we have to leave you behind?"

Athrodar stood up from where he sat, pulling Thalina up with him. "I'm good." He glanced back at Thalina who stood close to him. "We should get moving. The first wing on our left is the Plague Wing and I'm sure you can guess what's inside."

Clea's shoulders slumped down, having grown tired of fighting against the plague and would rather get this over and done with. "Inform Tirion and Darion on the way there, they will want to know what we're up against as well." She left them to meet up with everyone else, starting to make their march towards the first of three wings.


	41. Chapter 41

**The Dynamic Duo: Festergut and Rotface**

Dark Ranger Vorel had arrived in Dalaran a couple of hours after leaving with Saurfang and the rest of the Horde. She made her way through the floating city and towards Sunreaver Sanctuary where she then took a portal to Undercity that was swirling next to several other portals. Upon arriving in the Mage Quarter of Undercity, she quickly ran to the Royal Quarter that she knew would have Sylvanas in.

The Kor'kron guard that were placed around the city after the Wrath Gate were slowly becoming accustomed to their new surroundings, though many of them wished they were back in Durotar. Vorel breezed past them, not stopping when some of the Dark Rangers stationed in Undercity questioned why she was moving so quickly, their questions being answered when she turned right into the corridor that would lead her to her Queen.

She then began to walk past the queue of concerns, at least that's what the Dark Rangers named the lines of forsaken that had problems ranging from dire to petty, all to be dealt with by their Queen and her trusted advisors. The Royal Deathguards nodded as she walked past, the rest of the forsaken looking away or not taking notice of the Dark Ranger. When she finally entered the Royal Quarter, Sylvanas had taken notice of her right away, as well as the rolled up parchment in her hand.

The Banshee Queen had called over her High Executor of Tirisfal to take over for as whilst she made her way towards Vorel who was waiting patiently for her Queen. Sylvanas made her way down the stone dais and stopped in front of the Dark Ranger. "What do you have for me Vorel? Why are you not in Northrend with Clea?"

"She sent me back to give you this, My Lady." She handed the rolled up parchment to her Queen, watching her read over its contents.

Sylvanas grinned as she reached the bottom, folding it up and handing it back to the Dark Ranger. "It appears Arthas' end is nearing quicker than I had planned." She began to walk towards her personal quarters, beckoning Vorel to follow, to which she did. "The Scarlet Crusade's numbers had tripled since the Northrend campaign had started, and we are only just starting to slow down their recruitment."

Vorel looked at her Queen, noticing the growing anger in her tone. "My Lady, if there's anything I can do to help."

"There is, but it is not here. Not yet." They stopped outside Sylvanas' quarters, Vorel swiftly moving forward to open the door for her Queen, the pair of them walking in shortly after. "I suspect your numbers out there are dwindling." She didn't look back at Dark Ranger Vorel, already knowing she was nodding. "I want you to take Anya and half of our rangers stationed here back to Northrend, by the time you arrive they should be close to defeating Arthas." She paused, knowing how big of a task it sounded, to take on Arthas in his domain. "If they have survived long enough."

Vorel watched her Queen put on her armour, strap a couple of swords to her waist and knives to her boots, finishing it off with slinging a bow over her shoulder and a quiver to her back. "Do you plan to join us My Lady?"

Sylvanas pulled on her fingerless gloves, looking over towards the Dark Ranger in the room with her. "To Icecrown? No. But I am going to Dalaran with you, I have business with Rhonin and I have to look the part." She looked over towards the only desk in her room, noticing the mess on top of it. "Before you leave, put the message on the desk."

Vorel nodded, placing the parchment down on the pile of several others, leaving the room shortly after and making her way to the Rangers barracks in the War Quarter of Undercity. She found Anya and told her what they were going to do, the acting Ranger-General gathering up her best Rangers, all of them making their way towards the Mage Quarter.

* * *

"No! You killed Stinky! You pay!" Athrodar made his way around the plague hound known as Stinky, one of the two that were patrolling the Plague Wing, the other one being named Precious that they had killed minutes before.

The rest of them made their way around the body of Stinky, stopping when they came to another set of crossroads, though only having two paths to take as the door in front of them was shut, Athrodar knowing the reason why. "It appears the Professor knows we are here." He pointed towards the two pipes on either side of the door. "They lead from the door to the two other rooms in this wing"

Clea stood next to him, and arrow drawn back into her bow slightly as she scanned the corridor they were all in. "Let me guess, the door is powered by the plague, which is in both rooms?"

Athrodar pressed his lips together, glancing down at Clea who sighed when she saw his face. "Sorry. But to answer you question, yes. Though I believe one is the plague we're all used to, in it's green, slimy form. Whilst the other one has been turned into a gas." He looked back towards everyone else, the living members looking a lot more afraid than they did moments ago. "If it helps, this is where I believe we should split up. The living take the room on the right, as it has the liquid plague whilst those who are dead, and don't breathe, take on the airborne plague."

Thalina made her way to the front where Athrodar was talking to Clea, waiting for her turn to chime in. When it eventually came, she smiled up at him when he turned to face her. "Hi."

"Yes?"

"Who was that earlier? The thing who seemed pretty angry we killed... that." She pointed towards the body of Stinky. "As well as the one before, who seemed more upset we killed his.. Precious."

Athrodar nodded. "That would be the new abominations Putricide has come up with. I expected him to have made one, making our lives easier, but I suppose two is better than three."

She watched the Ebon Blade get ready to move out with the Dark Rangers close behind them, both groups moving towards the left room. She looked back up to Athrodar who was watching her closely. "Stay safe, I can't keep you out of trouble once you step in there."

Athrodar grinned at her choice of words. "If I remember rightly, I had those two Scourge warriors under control. And I'm sure I have saved your life more times than you've saved mine."

Thalina stepped closer to him, pulling on his cloak lightly to bring him closer as well, looking up at him when the gap between them had disappeared. "I'm not complaining."

He pulled her hood up when it began to slip down, Thalina still wearing the cloak he gave her as well as the black leathers she wore for their mission in the Cathedral of Darkness. "I know you can handle yourself, but stay by Liadrin and Elaria, they will have your back whilst I'm not there."

She rested her forehead against his chest, sighing deeply. "I suppose I should get used to you not being there, again."

The sound of clashing steel echoed on either side of the corridor, both parties having engaged with a couple pockets of Scourge. Athrodar looked over towards the left wing, looking back down at Thalina who was looking towards the right. "We need to get moving, I'll see you soon, okay?" He leaned down and kissed her when she looked up at him, Thalina pulling him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss, not wanting to leave his side. Her heart always fluttered in her chest when they shared a rare moment like this.

When he pulled away from her, Thalina looked to her right, noticing Elaria was smirking at the pair of them, the Night Elf waiting for her to catch up. "I think we should get going now." She looked back at him one last time. "Stay safe."

"You too." He watched her run off towards Elaria who raised both her eyebrows at him, walking backwards a few steps before turning around and falling into step with Thalina.

As he caught up to the Ebon Blade and the Dark Rangers accompanying them, he noticed the giant abomination standing at the opposite end of the room to them, taking in it's new grotesque design and making him grimace at the sight of it. Even for someone who had seen his fair share of horror's, these new abominations disturbed the former Prince.

Darion stood by his side, looking over towards the abomination. "How are we going to tackle this thing?"

"We could try to do the simple strategy of hitting it until it tumbles." Athrodar glanced around the room, noticing the valve at the entrance to the room, as well as the many vents dotted around the place. "We will have to fight within the gas and I don't know how thick it will be. We may or may not have limited vision."

The Highlord nodded, sending in a group of his Death Knights to one side of the room. "By the looks of that thing, I can see it has no weapons. We could use that to our advantage."

"We surround it and keep the majority of our forces behind it." Athrodar looked over towards the Dark Rangers. "Clea can keep her rangers at distance, firing volley after volley whilst everyone else is fighting this thing."

"And you're sure that will work?" Asked Clea, standing behind them both.

A nod. "Yes, It should."

Darion unsheathed his runeblade, gripping onto the glowing sword with one hand. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Athrodar glanced back at Clea, nodding at her once to get moving. She nodded back in understanding, moving off to her Dark Rangers. "Lyana, take half of our rangers and take the eastern flank, the rest of us will be on the western flank. We are to hit this big guy from both sides, got it?" Lyana nodded, taking half the rangers to the east.

Clea returned to Athrodar and Darion, the Highlord moving in his Death Knights to take up position behind the Abomination who was distracted by the wall in front of it. "My rangers are in position Highlord."

"Good." He turned his head towards Athrodar. "It's your call Captain."

Athrodar double checked everyone's position one final time, unslinging his bow from his shoulder. "Let's kill this ugly bastard." He nocked an arrow into place, the rest of the Dark Rangers doing the same, all of them firing a volley into the back of the abomination.

The abomination turned around as soon as the arrows hit, playfully laughing and running towards the Death Knights who were standing behind it. "Fun time!"

Professor Putricide stood on a balcony that overlooked their room. "Behold my finest creation, Festergut!" He quickly ran to one of the valves in his room, turning it clockwise and laughing manically as gas began to pour into their room. "Just an ordinary gas cloud. But watch out! Because that's no ordinary gas cloud!"

Athrodar watched the room fill up with a vile orange gas, finding he was actually happy with being dead for once and not needing to breathe. "If any of you have the ability to use fire, try to avoid it! The plague is still highly flammable, even if it's a gas. Using fire now will burn all of us inside and out."

Darion looked up to the balcony the Professor was standing at moments ago, finding it to be empty. "Our friend seems to have been distracted. The Argent Crusade must have started their fight now."

A loud, high pitched voice echoed throughout the halls. "Weeeeeee! Hahahaha!"

"They both sound like children." Said Clea, firing another arrow into Festergut.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the Professor made them think he was their father." Athrodar fired another arrow into the back of Festergut, watching it freeze a small patch of flesh there. "This thing is soaking up most of our attacks and doesn't look like he is tiring at all." Festergut began to inhale the gas, making everyone's vision a lot clearer.

"That's helpful."

Athrodar shook his head. "I don't think the idea was to clear up the room."

The room began to make a rumbling sound, everyone pinning it down to Festergut as he held on to what they believed was his stomach. Darion stepped back from the abomination along with the rest of his Death Knights. "What's going on?"

They all looked around at each other, none of them attacking Festergut in that moment. The abomination stopped rumbling, letting out a loud fart before continuing to attack the stunned Death Knights. Athrodar looked over towards a couple of Death Knights that stood behind the abomination, watching them fall to their knees before collapsing to the floor, not moving afterwards. "We need to stay away from him when he does that. Whatever it is, it looks to be deadly to us."

Darion began to fight with Festergut again, hacking away at his left arm every time he swung it down towards him. "Focus on his left arm, I've almost cut it off his body completely!"

Clea and her Dark Rangers began to engulf their arrows in shadow, Athrodar continuing to use frost on his, all of them focusing on Festergut's left arm whilst a selected few tried to distract the abomination. Athrodar threw his bow to one side once he spent all his arrow, unsheathing both his swords, temporary runes being forged into the blades whilst they began to glow blue that matched his eyes, both of them glowing brighter the closer he got to Festergut. He leapt into the air, both swords above his head and swinging down onto the abomination's left arm that was hanging on by a few strands of flesh.

"Ouch! Daddy, they hurt me!" Screamed Festergut, holding onto the stub that was his arm. "Fun time over!" He lifted up one of his stubby legs, squashing a couple of Death Knights and kicking them towards a handful of unsuspecting Dark Rangers. Clea watched her rangers fly through the air, being impaled on several pipes that were connected to nothing.

Athrodar unhooked a couple of knives, stabbing them into the back of the abomination before pulling himself up, sticking several more knives into his back and quickly climbing up to the head of the abomination. "Clea, I need three arrows!"

The Dark Ranger-General pulled out all of her arrows in her quiver, counting four and throwing three of them up to him, firing her last one into Festergut's head. "Make them count, Athrodar."

He caught the three arrows nocking all of them into his bow and enchanting them with frost. He pulled himself up onto Festergut's shoulders, his feet planted either side of the abominations head and aiming the enchanted projectiles down at it. "Say bye to your daddy."

Festergut waved up towards Professor Putricide who was watching on, waving at him. "Bye.." Athrodar fired all three arrows into his head, penetrating through his brain and out the other side, the arrow heads sticking out from under his jaw. "...Da … Daddy..."

The Professor stood on the balcony, moving both his hands to his hips and shaking his head. "Oh, Festergut. You were always my favourite. Next to Rotface. The good news is you left behind so much gas, I can practically taste it!" He walked away from the balcony, everyone in the room thinking he had gone to the other side.

Athrodar climbed off Festergut's body, walking over towards the valve at the entrance to their room, turning it clockwise and watching the gas begin to travel down the pipes and towards the door that would lead them to the Professor. "Let's get moving, the Argent Crusade may need our help."

"What about our dead?"

Athrodar looked back at Clea, watching the inner conflict that raged inside her, knowing she didn't want to leave her Ranger's behind. "We will collect them on the way back."

Clea watched them leave to help the Argent Crusade, turning back around to face her Rangers that were left impaled on a few pipes, only beginning to move when her acting second, Lyana, had pushed her slightly towards the door. "Come on General, we need to move."

Athrodar reached the second room first, only he had been stopped by the sealed door that stood between him and the Argent Crusade. All he could do was watch through the two glass panels in the door, wanting to help but was powerless to do so. Darion caught up to him shortly after, letting out a frustrated groan when he too saw the door. "We need to get in there!"

"Unless you can phase through doors, we're stuck on this side Highlord."

The Highlord threw his blade on the floor, walking back towards his Death Knights and informing them on the current situation. Athrodar glanced back at the Ebon Blade before looking back through the glass panels, watching the fight rage on, specifically Thalina and the other mages around her burning the plague slime that was slowly sliding across the room.

She began to burn the pool of slime that was slowly taking over the room, a quarter of the room already consumed by the deadly liquid. However, her back was facing the abomination, leaving her open to an attack that knocked her off her feet and towards the other side of the room. Athrodar watched on in horror as she hit the wall, clutching onto her side and sitting down against it, struggling to get to her feet due to the pain she now found herself in, blood covering her hand.

He closed his eyes, resting his head against the door and slowly mumbling to himself. "Come on Tirion, kill this thing before it's too late. I can't lose her." He opened his eyes just as the abomination collapsed to the ground, taking a couple steps back as the door began to open.

As soon as he entered the room, he heard Professor Putricide begin to speak down to them. "Terrible news, everyone, Rotface is dead! But great news everyone, he left plenty of ooze for me to use!" He looked shocked at his own words, smiling with delight. "Whaa...? I'm a poet, and I didn't know it? Astounding!"

Elaria shook her head, looking up at the Professor who began to walk away. "I can't wait to kill this guy. I've heard him speak twice and I'm already annoyed by him."

Athrodar ran towards Thalina, sliding along his knees as he got close, holding her up as she began to slowly slump over. "Thal stay with me." He ripped off a small part of his cloak, placing it on her wound he could now see, applying a lot of pressure to it. She screamed out in pain, Athrodar taking one of her hands in his other, the Magister squeezing it tightly as he applied more pressure to her wound. "Scream if you must, but please.. stay with me."

She grit her teeth as hard as she could, screaming once more in pain when Athrodar undone his belt and strapped it across her abdomen, pulling on it hard until it held his makeshift bandage in place. Her eyes began to feel heavy whilst her body began to feel weak. She moved her hand up to his face when they looked at each other, noticing a hint of fear in his eyes that she hadn't seen since he found her in the Ghostlands a few years back. "You... you found me."

Athrodar smiled, nodding his head whilst trying to hide the sudden surge of emotions that overcame him, a small tear running down his face as he saw the colour in her cheeks quickly begin to fade. "I did." Liadrin ran over to them, placing both her hands on Thalina's wound and getting to work on her quickly. "Can you save her?"

Liadrin shook her head. "I don't know, she's pretty far gone."

"Liadrin, you must save her!"

"I.. I will try, but you need to be prepared for the off chance she doesn't make it."

Athrodar held onto Thalina's hand with both of his, looking directly at Thalina who was trying her best to look back at him, her eyes slowly closing with every passing second. "Thal, come on.. Stay with me."

Elaria stood nearby along with Lumu and the other druids, several mages and Argent Crusaders with them, the priests amongst them praying to their deities to save her. Liadrin had beads of sweat rolling down her face as she worked hard on Thalina, knowing she had to do everything in her power to save her best friend. Her eyes began to glow a bright yellow, taking on a shade of gold as she concentrated all of power on Thalina, holy golden wings slowly beginning to spread across her back as she exerted her full power.

Thalina gasped as the light got to work on her body, feeling a sudden rush of warmth bathe over her, feeling like she was back home and in front of the Sunwell, training her magic with her father like she did when she was younger. Her vision was blinded by the vivid memory, she didn't see or feel Athrodar resting his forehead on hers, looking into her eyes and whispering to her, pleading for her to hold on.

Liadrin fell back in exhaustion, her energy being spent on the rigorous healing work on Thalina, the golden wings on her back slowly fading away. "Will she make it?" Asked Athrodar, still looking at Thalina who had now fallen asleep, her breathing slow and steady.

"We won't know, she lost a lot of blood." She lifted her hands up to her face, wiping away the beads of sweat on her forehead and smearing some blood across it. "We just have to wait."

Elaria sat down next to Thalina, resting her head on the Magister's chest and hearing her faint heartbeat, looking towards Athrodar who was only looking at Thalina. "Her heartbeat is faint, but it's there."

Tirion slowly walked over to them. "Athrodar, we need to get moving. The plagued slime has been sent to the door and we heard it open up. Now's the time to attack."

"I'm not leaving her."

"We can't wait for her to recover Captain, we need to get moving now."

"I'm not leaving her Highlord. Carry on without me if you must, but I'm staying here until she wakes up."

Elaria frowned at him, her head still on Thalina's chest, listening out for heartbeat. "Are you sure about this? I can watch over her if-"

"I'm certain. I'm not leaving her again, not until she is safe and away from this place."

"You mean to take her away once she wakes up?"

"Yes." His eyes left Thalina for the first time since arriving in this room, looking back at Tirion and everyone else who were slowly walking out the room. "When she wakes up, she won't be able fight, not with how much blood she has lost."

"Athrodar." He turned his head back around to face Elaria, the Night elf shaking her head at him.

He moved his head towards her chest, not hearing a heartbeat. "No no no.. Liadrin!" The paladin shot up from where she was laying, looking over towards them. "She's not breathing!"

She willed herself up and towards them, placing her hands back on Thalina and pouring more light into her, the paladin's body aching with how much energy she was using, delving into her reserves to will Thalina's heart back into life. She felt her power waning, the amount of light she was pouring into the Magister was very little, stopping her healing work and beginning to compress her chest. "Come on Thal, don't leave us."

Lumu ran over to them, rustling through his satchel and pulling out a small vial. "Here, use some of this. Pour some on her wound and in her mouth, It should shock her body back to life."

Athrodar took it off him without asking what it was, following his instructions to a tee. Liadrin stopped her chest compressions, watching and waiting for the herbal remedy to do its job. After a few seconds of nothing happening, Liadrin moved her hands back towards the Magister and starting her chest compressions again.

Elaria looked at the Blood Knight. "Liadrin, I don't think it's working."

Liadrin shook her head. "No, it will work." She concentrated on Thalina, glancing up at Athrodar who was holding onto the Magister's hand. "Don't you leave us Thal! You have a beautiful daughter waiting for you back home, don't you dare leave her alone in this world!"

Thalina was still laying there, not moving. Liadrin's arms began to get weak, collapsing forward onto her and crying into her stomach, having ran out of options. Elaria stood up, walking away from them and beginning to pace back and forth, taking off her sword and throwing it on the floor in frustration, crouching down and placing both her hands over her face.

Athrodar looked at the small glass vial Lumu had given him, throwing it across the room. "You said it would work!"

Lumu placed up both his hands, backing away slowly from the former Prince and shaking his head. "I said it should, nothing is certain."

Athrodar got up onto his feet, unsheathing one of his swords and walking over towards Lumu, his eyes glowing brightly. "I trusted you with this potion, and it hasn't worked!"

Liadrin got up onto her feet, trying to stop Athrodar but collapsing onto her knees as her energy was spent. "Athrodar wait! What are you doing?"

"Showing this druid what I do to those who lie to me."

Before he could do anything, they all heard a gasp of air followed by coughing, Athrodar spinning around and watching Thalina move her hand to her face, wiping away the potion that dribbled out from her mouth. The former Prince dropped his sword and ran over to her, placing both his hands on her face and looking into her eyes, Thalina looking back into his and wiping away a tear that fell from them. "Hi." She said weakly, smiling at him when he was overcome with relief, laughing at her casual response to being brought back from temporary death.

He kissed her hard on the lips, Thalina groaning in pain though she held him there when he felt a little guilty for hurting her. When they eventually broke apart from each other, he rested his forehead against hers, the pair of them looking at each other. "How do you feel?"

Elaria rubbed her eyes, standing over the two of them. "Like I'm on an emotional roller coaster. Can't you two live a normal life for once?"

Thalina began to laugh, coughing up some blood several seconds later. Athrodar wiped away some blood on her chin with his cloak, brushing a few strands of her hair back into her hood. "Easy Thal, I don't want to lose you again."

She smiled weakly at him, moving her hand over his. "That's my line."

Elaria rolled her eyes, crouching down next to them. "I don't mean to rush you, but we need to get moving. They're starting the assault on that nutty professor up there."

Liadrin sat up from where she was laying, finding the energy to do so. "I don't think she can carry on, Elaria."

For once, Thalina agreed with her, knowing she couldn't carry on fighting, nodding slowly at the point made. "I think my time in this war has come to an end." She looked over at Athrodar. "Help me up?"

He slowly helped her stand up, Thalina holding onto her wound whilst they began to walk out the room. "Elaria, find a mage who can make us a portal back to Dalaran." He glanced down to Thalina who was leaning on him for support. "Like she said, her time in this war has come to an end."

Elaria nodded, running off to catch up with everyone else, collecting a couple of mages and bringing them back into the room, watching them summon a portal to Dalaran. When the portal appeared in front of them, Athrodar and Thalina began to walk towards the swirling vortex, landing in Dalaran seconds later. "Thank you, for being there." Said Thalina, holding onto him tightly as she felt her legs slowly begin to give way.

A couple of Kirin Tor guardians came rushing over towards them, taking Thalina off him as soon as they arrived by their side. Athrodar kissed her hand before she was pulled away from him. "I'll see you when this is all done."

She began to walk with the two Kirin Tor guardians, the pair of them leading her towards the infirmary, Thalina leaning on one of them to keep herself up. Athrodar turned around to walk back through the portal, stopping his movements when he heard his name being called, turning back around to see Sylvanas and her Dark Rangers standing there.

"Fancy seeing you here."


	42. Chapter 42

**Easier done than said**

"Sylvanas. I take it your Scarlet problem has been deal with?"

There was a small change in her posture, giving Athrodar all he needed to know she hadn't. "They're becoming a bigger nuisance than I had first thought." She glanced over to Anya who was standing behind her. "I have brought you some reinforcements."

Liadrin walked through the portal, interrupted their little talk. She looked at Sylvanas who was standing behind her, raising an eyebrow at the paladin. "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to go find Thalina."

Athrodar frowned at her. "Why?"

"I'm too weak to carry on, just like her. I'm sitting out for the rest of this fight." She placed a hand on her forehead, noticing she was getting hotter by the second. "I have a fever coming on," She looked at her hand and saw Thalina's blood on it. "As well as my friends blood on my face and hands."

The former Prince smirked at her. "Go, I think we can manage without the two of you." Liadrin nodded, slowly making her way to the infirmary in the magical city. Athrodar looked over to Anya and the Dark Rangers behind Sylvanas, raising an eyebrow at them. "You don't need them?"

She shook her head. "Maybe later, but for now they're yours." She nodded at Anya, the acting Ranger-General nodding in reply and walking through the portal that Liadrin walked through moments ago.

"Thank you, we needed this. The Horde and Alliance have pulled out after taking heavy casualties." He watched the last of them walk through the portal, moving towards it next.

Sylvanas moved in front of him, stopping him from leaving. She placed both hands on his face and made him face her. She looked him directly in the eyes, sensing something was off. "Are you okay?"

He moved his head away, looking towards the portal. "I'm fine. Unless you have something else for me, I need to be heading back."

The Banshee Queen watched him carefully, certain something was off but knew better than to question him. "Go, finish this." She watched him leave Dalaran through the portal, retuning back to the Citadel. She sighed, shaking her head and walking towards the Violet Citadel, looking for Rhonin in the meantime.

When Athrodar landed in the Citadel, he directed the new Dark Rangers to the front with everyone else, Anya walking side by side with him. "Has the General been kind to you? Or has she been her usual self? You know, when I'm not there."

He smirked. "It was touch and go at the beginning, but I think I've won her respect." He looked towards the group of Ebon Blade knights and Dark Rangers, spotting Clea at the front of them. "Speaking of, I think she would be happy to see you." He pointed towards her, Anya following his hand and running off towards Clea when she saw her.

The Dark Ranger-General tensed up suddenly, not knowing why until she felt someone wrap their arms around her from behind. "Unless your name is Anya Eversong, I suggest you get off me, now."

Anya moved her head next to Clea's, pressing her cheek up against hers. "Did you miss me?"

Clea's eyes widened, spinning around to face her second. "You're here!?" She threw herself on Anya, the pair of them hugging each other. "How? When?"

She pulled herself off her Ranger-General, the pair of them facing Athrodar and the Dark Rangers she brought with her. "Sylvanas got your message and has decided we will come to you as reinforcements, so.." She extended out one hand towards them. "Here we are."

Clea placed on hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for this, sister. We need as much help as we can get." Athrodar made his way towards them, shaking hands with Clea. "How's your Magister?"

"She'll survive. I took her back to Dalaran, which is where I ran into this lot."

Clea watched him carefully. "Are you good to carry on?"

Athrodar narrowed his eyes, staring off into the distance. "Yes, I'm fine." When Clea said nothing in return, he glanced down to her. "Trust me, I'm fine."

She watched him for a few more seconds, looking off towards the room with their next target in shortly after. "Come on, Tirion is waiting."

They began to walk through the darkened, gloomy halls, following the two pipes, either one carrying a different type of plague in them, leading towards the room with the Professor. Anya and the new Dark Ranger's took in the scenery, a little awestruck by it all. "If this wasn't the home of the Lich King... I may have wanted to move in here one day."

Clea chuckled. "Anya, if it wasn't the home of the Lich King, _I_ would have moved in a long time ago."

"Hah! If it wasn't the home of the Lich King, it would be mine." Athrodar glanced back at them before looking forward. "After all, I _was_ his second."

Clea shook her head. "If it wasn't the Lich King's it wouldn't be yours. You may still be alive if he wasn't here."

"Wouldn't we all?"

They all let that sink in, the talk of their cruel fate giving them the burning desire of revenge once more. Clea focused on the room ahead. "Then let's make sure he gets what's coming to him."

When they caught up with Tirion and Darion, they saw the Professor working on the plague that was in many vials and other glass bottles in his lab, his back facing them. Darion looked to his left when he saw Athrodar and Clea arrive with more Dark Rangers. "So, Sylvanas gives us more troops?"

Athrodar nodded. "Yes and I believe it should be enough to see this through until the end."

Elaria stood nearby, twirling her blades in her hands, becoming impatient with the waiting. "He's not even looking at us, let me go over there and finish this quickly."

Tirion shook his head. "No, that would be too easy. This feels like a trap."

She sighed, placing both her daggers back into their sheaths. "Well, you know where to find me if you want me to do the easy option." She made her way to the back of the group, sitting down against the wall.

Athrodar watched her walk past them, chuckling and shaking his head. "You know, it may not be a bad idea. If there's an easy option, sometimes it's not always a trap."

"Still, we can't rely on one person to take him out whilst his back is turned. We all saw what he has created and I feel like there are more of his vile experiments in here somewhere." Tirion began to look around the room, trying to find one of them.

Darion rubbed his chin, looking over towards Athrodar. "It's worth a shot though, right?"

"What is?"

He nodded over towards Elaria who was spinning her blade around on the floor, standing it up by the tip. "She could take him out quickly and we move on to the next wing. Do you think she can do it?"

A nod. "I believe she can. But it's not up to her, or frankly, up to me." He shifted his eyes over towards Tirion. "This is his campaign, so it's his decision."

"Last I checked, Captain, this is my campaign as well."

Athrodar smirked. "Then I suggest you persuade him into letting Elaria do what she's good at. But I wouldn't be surprised if he turns it down."

The Highlord of the Ebon Blade walked over to Tirion, waiting for him to finish talking with one of his Captains. "Tirion, a word."

He pulled away from his group, following Darion until they were both alone. "What is it Darion? Do you have a plan?"

"I do Tirion." He glanced over to Elaria who was still spinning her dagger around, looking a little bored. "I think we should let her do what she's good at, it could save us a lot of time if we go with the quicker option."

Tirion shook his head. "I don't like how easy it all feels, I'm just being cautious, Darion, we've lost too many in this war already."

He sighed. "Maybe too cautious. We have a real opportunity here to deal a decisive blow without taking any casualties." He looked around the room, not seeing anything specific that could lead them into a trap. "It's a better shot than none."

Athrodar approached them, sensing Darion was getting nowhere. "Tirion, if I may." The Highlord nodded at him, allowing him a chance to speak. "I think Darion is right on this. We have a real chance to deal a serious blow without having to spend much energy. Allow Elaria the chance to do this, I will remain close by if something is to happen, but I don't think there will be."

Tirion began to stroke the fine hairs on his chin. "Leave me, I have much to ponder." They both began to walk back to the rest of the army, Athrodar sitting down by Elaria whilst Darion began to talk to his Captains.

Elaria looked up at Athrodar, stopping her dagger from spinning on its point. "I never asked."

"What?"

"What do you plan on doing once this is all over? After all, you're disappearing once Arthas is dead, right?"

Athrodar looked at her dagger, grinning a little. "I haven't given it much thought. But if I had to say, I would probably go back to being an Assassin. Though I don't think Ravenholdt would take me back, not without having to go through those trials again."

Elaria smiled, closing her eyes and letting her mind take her back to those trials. "Yeah, I'd rather not do that again." She opened her eyes to look at him again. "If not that, then what else do you have in mind?"

"Hmm." Athrodar looked around the room, Tirion still thinking about the plan. He leaned in closer to Elaria, the Night Elf doing the same back. "I'd probably start my own mercenary company. Train them myself and make them an elite group."

"Any room for a fun, lovable Kal'dorei who is deadly at a fifty yard range of her target?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Really? You want to join me in forming a group of mercenaries?"

"Of course! Why not? I reckon we could get rich off of how good we would be."

"It's all about money with you, isn't it?"

She nodded. "That's all I need. Without it, I couldn't buy the things I enjoy the most."

He smirked. "So, food?"

Another nod. "And maybe someone to warm my bed." Her face turned sad, feeling a little lost with Clara not being there any more. "Though, I don't think anyone can fill the hole I have in my heart."

Athrodar placed a hand down to his waist, untying the small sack of coins he had there and handing it to her. "The first one is on me."

She chuckled, tossing the coin purse in the air and catching it. "You know, this will only pay for a few hours, right?"

"Then you better make the best of those hours then, shouldn't you?"

She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I've missed this."

"What?"

"This, us. Two trained killers talking about unconventional topics that wouldn't see the light of day in any royal court." She moved the dagger Clara got her back in Stormwind up to her face, twirling it a couple of times in her hand. "What will you do about Sylvanas?"

"What do you mean?"

She smirked. "I know about her little offer, most people do." She moved her head off his shoulder, looking at the surprised expression on his face. "Don't look at me like that, you're the one who made it public knowledge. You know, back in Dalaran."

He thought back to his time in the Violet Hold, vaguely remembering what she was on about. "So I did..."

She nudged him with her elbow. "Well, what will you do?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I guess I'll have to improvise when I get around to dealing with it. Though I'd probably tell her what I told you."

"And you're sure she will be okay with that?"

Athrodar looked over towards Clea, the Dark Ranger-General talking to Anya, the pair of them catching up with each other. "I couldn't say. But I don't think she will react in the same way you did."

Elaria laughed. "No, that's a given." She looked over to Tirion, the Highlord of the Argent Crusade looking like he had made his decision, looking over towards her and Athrodar. "I think he is about to give us the all clear on the mission."

"Might be an easy one. The Professor has no weapons, at least none that I can see, plus he seems busy with his plague that he either hasn't noticed us, or doesn't care that we're here."

Elaria smirked. "We've had easier assignments." She stood up, walking over to Tirion who was still looking over at the two of them. "Highlord, I presume you've come up with a plan?"

Tirion nodded, patting her on the arm. "It's your time to shine." He looked over towards the professor who was still working on his lab. "Take him out quickly and quietly, but pull back if you think it's a trap. We're nearby if things go south, so don't worry about that."

"Consider it done, Highlord."

Athrodar remained sat down against a wall, watching Elaria silently make her way towards the professor, everyone else watching on as well, a few of them expecting something bad to happen. Tirion looked around the room, specifically around the professor, trying to find something that would tell him it was a trap.

Elaria stood directly behind him, slowly pulling out her dagger and moving it towards his throat. "Ahah! I have completed it!" Putricide turned around, finding Elaria standing behind him with the dagger in her hand. "Oh.. rats." She stuck the blade deep into his head, piercing him from under his chin.

Athrodar grinned, getting to his feet and making his way out the plague wing, waiting for everyone else to catch up.

"Not bad, right?"

He looked over to Elaria who was cleaning her dagger with a rag she had torn off the professor. "I would have done it before he looked around."

She rolled her eyes. "It would have been done a lot earlier if I were in charge."

"If you were in charge we wouldn't have made it past the first General."

Elaria threw the rag at him. "You don't know that, I think we would be at Arthas by now if I was the head of this army. Fast and aggressive, that's my strategy." She looked at him closely when he didn't reply, the former Prince looking at the next wing in the Citadel, the Crimson Halls. She stepped closer to him, looking towards the Crimson Halls then back at him. "She's in there, isn't she? Your Blood-Queen."

He nodded, looking down at the ground. "I have thought of a thousand things to say to her when we get there, but look at where we are, who's domain we are in. He has control over her more than I do, I'm afraid of what he will make her do."

Elaria watched the Argent Crusade lead the charge towards the Crimson Halls, the Ebon Blade and Sylvanas' Dark Rangers following close behind. "I have an idea."

He looked up at her. "What is it?"

"When they're distracted by the fighting we could make our way towards where she is located. From there, you can talk to her and say what you need to say, maybe get her to flee from the Citadel until Arthas is killed, then we can work on bringing her over to our side."

Athrodar nodded slowly. "Maybe that could work. But we would have to do it now, they're already in the lower chambers where they will be met with the three Blood-Prince's and they won't wait around for us to join them."

"Then lead the way, I'll be close behind." They both began to run towards the Crimson Halls, Athrodar taking her through several hidden passages that the rest of them would have missed, coming across several Darkfallen in the meantime and dispatching them quickly.

They made it to the end of a narrow passage, nothing but a hidden door now separating them from Lana'thel's chamber. "Wait here, I don't know how she will react to seeing you."

"If you need backup for any reason, just call my name."

He nodded, slowly opening the hidden door and dropping down onto the saronite floor and next to her bed. He made sure he wasn't holding any weapons, slowly walking to the centre of the room whilst scanning his surroundings. He could feel a set of eyes looking at him, but he couldn't pinpoint where they were, not until it was too late.

Lana'thel jumped off the chandelier in the centre of the room, landing on top of him and engulfing her hand in shadow flame, looking to strike him down.

"Lana'thel wait, it's me!" He pulled down his hood, showing his full features, including the platinum blond hair he now had. "It's your prince."

Her eyes widened as she realised she almost struck him down, the shadow flame in her hand dying out as she helped get him up onto his feet, hugging him when she was finished. "My Prince... I thought you were one of those Crusader's. I can smell their blood and fear from here."

They held each other tightly, Athrodar knowing she had been waiting for their reunion for some time, just like he had. "They're in the lower chambers with the Blood-Prince's, but I do have one with me, in the hidden passage I came through."

She pulled herself off him, looking at it and slowly moving towards the half opened door. "You brought one with you?" She stopped suddenly, turning to face him. "Did you bring them here to kill me?"

"No, of course not. She's a friend and she's here to help. We both are." He held onto her hand, slowly pulling her back. "Trust me, we're not here to harm you."

She hesitated at first, not moving any closer to him. "How do I know you're not here to distract me from her?"

He frowned at her. "What are you saying?" He stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her cheek and rubbing his thumb over the scar she got from Arthas. "If I wanted you dead I would have done it back at the Cathedral."

She closed her eyes at his touch, allowing him to move closer once more. "You said you're here to help me?" She opened her eyes to look at him, noticing his change of hair colour at the same time as his close proximity to her. "What do you have in mind?"

"Don't panic." She frowned at him when he said those words, calling for Elaria shortly after. The Night Elf tentatively walked through the door, dropping down onto the floor and slowly making her way over to them. "We think we have a plan."


	43. Chapter 43

**Queens of a Different Nature**

The fight was raging on in the lower chambers of the Crimson Halls, one of the three Blood-Prince's had been slain by the approaching army, giving Athrodar and Elaria a much shorter time frame than they needed to get their plan done.

Lana'thel listened to what they had to say, feeling an ever growing presence in the back of her mind as they went on. "Are you sure this will work?"

Athrodar shook his head. "We don't know, but it's the only thing we could think of in such a short time."

She scoffed, starting to pace in front of them. "Such a short time? You said you were thinking of a plan to free me from him ever since our last real meeting, at Aldur'thar."

Elaria raised an eyebrow at them. "You met her at Aldur'thar, whilst you weren't under Arthas' control?"

He glanced over to her, shifting his gaze back to Lana'thel. "Yes, but this was before the siege. And yes, I did tell you I was working on a plan to free you back then, but I have been distracted as of late."

She stopped pacing, glaring at him instead. "Distracted? By what!? I thought I was the only thing on your mind!"

He stepped closer to her, placing both hands on her arms. "Listen to me. Yes, I was distracted and that's my fault. But we have a plan." He glanced over to Elaria, the Night Elf deciding not to speak. "Even if it's not the best plan, we still have one." He kissed his Queen lightly, looking her in the eyes after. "This is the only shot we have to free you from him."

She nodded slightly. "Let's do it."

Athrodar grinned, turning to face Elaria. "Go to them and tell them this room is clear and to move out to the Frost Halls. There you will come face to face with the Frost-Queen, a giant Frost Wyrm named Sindragosa," He looked back at Lana'thel. "We will get moving once the coast is clear."

Elaria got moving, knowing her task at hand. Lana'thel watched her leave, stepping closer to her Prince once she was gone. "Do you trust her?"

He nodded. "I do. She's been a loyal friend for years, even if we weren't fighting on the same sides during some of them." He smiled a little, turning to face Lana'thel. "She saved me at the Wrath Gate, even though I was still under Arthas' control."

Lana'thel hugged him, holding on tightly as she finally began to believe she was going to be free of Arthas' control. The growing presence in the back of her head was becoming more dominant however, the Blood-Queen trying her best to push it away. "My Prince, we are close. Close to being free from him together."

Athrodar held onto her tightly, kissing her cheek. "Just a few more hours, then we will see him fall from his throne." He pulled away a little, looking at her, the Blood-Queen returning his gaze with widened eyes and a look of horror on her face. "What's wrong?"

"He's in my head... I can.. feel him." She fell to her knees, clutching onto her head. "He's trying... to take... control!"

Athrodar dropped to his knees, holding onto her. The Blood-Queen's wings were wrapped around her, trying to keep everything away and out of her. "Come on baby, fight him. You have a stronger grip on yourself than he does."

He watched her tense up for a few seconds only to relax afterwards, unwrapping her wings from around herself, though her eyes were closed. Athrodar placed one hand on her arm, Lana'thel pushing it away and blasting him with a quick spell, knocking the former Prince back a few yards. She stood up, beginning to cackle at him. "So... You think you can take her away from here? Away from _my_ domain? Pathetic."

Athrodar stood up, holding onto the burn mark on his chest. "Let go of her Arthas. The Argent Crusade and the Ebon Blade are moving towards Sindragosa shortly. After they've dealt with her, they're moving on to you."

He cackled again, using Lana'thel as a pawn. "Do you really think they stand a chance against me? They will fall, just like everyone else who had stood between me and what I want." Lana'thel conjured a ball of shadow flame, throwing it towards Athrodar and missing him as he moved to the right.

"I think deep down you know they can defeat you, that I can defeat you." He began to walk around the room, keeping an equal distance between himself and the Blood-Queen Arthas was controlling. "Drop your hold on Lana'thel and I will come to the Frozen Throne myself and fight you. Just you and me."

"What makes you think I will let go of her? I think it will be rather poetic to have the woman who loves you, kill you in her own chambers." Lana'thel conjured shadow flame in her hands once more, throwing three spells at him in quick succession, the last one hitting him in the chest again. "When you die, again, it will be permanently, I assure you. You will be gone from this world, and she will be alone, but forever under my control."

Athrodar got up after being hit by the spell, resisting the urge to attack her, knowing it wasn't her who was attacking him, but Arthas controlling her. "Have you noticed the many generals we have faced and destroyed in your Citadel, Arthas?" He began to walk around the edges of the room once more. "They would have killed the three Prince's by now. Only two obstacles remain, you being one of them."

"Yet, there are three left for you." Lana'thel pulled out her spellblade, charging towards Athrodar and swinging at him with it, the former Prince unsheathing his sword to parry the blows he couldn't dodge. "You will either kill her, or die yourself. It's your choice."

"Then I guess I will have to hold you off until they have reached you at your throne." He parried a blow, ducking under another and freezing her feet in place, moving to the other side of the room from her. "The question is, how long can you go on like this until you will want to face me yourself?"

Lana'thel melted the ice around her feet, flying over towards Athrodar once more and resuming their fight. "You will tire soon... My Prince." That made Athrodar stop for a couple of seconds, Arthas making Lana'thel sound like herself instead of the amalgamation of the pair of them. This gave him the opportunity to land a blow onto him, cutting deep into his arm. "What's the matter? Did it sound a little too much like... me?"

Athrodar froze once more, Arthas messing with him by making her talk in her normal voice and given himself the edge over the former Prince. "Stop it!" He froze her in place once more, hitting himself on the head a couple of times to clear his mind, using a spell to silence her when she began to cast a spell once more.

Once again, she melted the ice around her feet and engaged Athrodar in combat, this time landing more blows with her free hand, winding the former Prince a little. "If you want to kill me, Athrodar, you will have to kill her first." She lifted her arm into the air, looking to deal the final blow but deliberately leaving herself open for an attack.

Athrodar grit his teeth in anger, lunging forward with his blade and piercing Lana'thel in the abdomen, the Blood-Queen dropping her spellblade on the floor. Arthas chuckled through her one last time before letting go of his hold on her. The red haze of anger lifted from his eyes as soon as he realised what he done, standing still and frozen to the spot, looking Lana'thel, _his_ Lana'thel in the eyes. "No... No no no."

She looked down at the blade in her stomach before looking back up at him. "M...My.. Prince?" She stumbled backwards a couple paces, the blade sliding out of her. Athrodar dropped it onto the floor and caught Lana'thel before she hit it. "I'm... I'm dying.. Aren't I?"

Athrodar laid her on the floor, holding onto the wound he had inflicted on her. "I'm sorry... I'm.. I'm sorry." He pressed his head against hers, trying to stop the tears from forming at his eyes. "I.. I didn't..."

She weakly placed a hand on his face, trying to stop a few of her tears from forming. "It's not... your fault... My Prince..." She kissed him lightly, placing her other hand on his face as well. "You... You had no other... choice..."

Elaria came running back up to the chamber to give them the all clear, the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade already moving out to the Frost Halls. However, she was met with a scene she didn't expect to see, dropping one of her daggers on the floor when she saw the blood and the pair of them on the floor. "No... What happened?"

Athrodar shook his head. "Arthas... He.. He took hold of her.. And I..." He stopped speaking, his voice breaking as he held the dying Lana'thel in his arms. "Hold on my Queen, hold on just a little longer. We are almost free from this place."

Her eyes lit up a little, a rare but warm smile playing across her face as she looked up at him. "You.. you were always a bad... liar." She kissed him once more. "We.. we were so close." Her eyes widened as her world began to turn black, coughing up some blood. "I see.. nothing but darkness my Prince... Where are you?"

He held onto her hand tightly, placing it on his face. "I am here, my love. Your Prince is here."

Tears formed in her eyes as her vision was lost, knowing she would see only darkness in her final seconds. "I love you... my.. Pri..." Her hand let go of his face, falling limp to her side.

He pulled her to him as close as he could, burying his head in her shoulder, beginning to rock back and forth, screaming out in agony as his heart was ripped from his chest. Elaria sat down on the steps that led down to the room he was in, her ears bending down and placing her head in her crossed arms, knowing they were so close to freeing her.

Athrodar was on his knees, holding on to the Blood-Queen in the centre of the room. He knew of the great power the Lich King had bestowed on him, giving him an idea as he stroked her hair, although he didn't know if it would work. He had began to whisper some enchantments, hoping to reanimate his Blood-Queen from death, though it all fizzled out into nothing.

He feared this would happen, holding onto her tighter and trying again, hoping it would make a difference. He could resurrect the fallen whenever he wanted, but the San'layn were different, they needed blood magic to be resurrected, Athrodar only being specialised in frost. He let out another anguished cry as it sunk in she was gone forever, Elaria getting up from where she was sitting and running down to the lower chambers of the Crimson halls, trying to find any remaining Darkfallen to let out her anger on.

Athrodar clung onto her lifeless body, rocking back and forth with her in his arms. He glanced over to his left arm, rolling up his sleeve to the two small vertical scars that were placed next to each other. He removed a dagger from its sheath that was resting on his back, placing it next to the two scars and creating a third one to match, pulling down his sleeve once he had finished.

Almost an hour had passed by with him still remaining on the floor, Lana'thel in his arms, stroking her hair and taking in everything he could of her. Elaria made her way back up to Lana'thel's chambers, slowly making her way towards him and hesitating slightly when she moved her hand to his shoulder. "Athrodar..."

"Yeah?" His voice was low as his throat became hoarse with his anguish cries.

She glanced over to the dagger he had left out, noticing blood on it, a different shade to the Blood-Queen's. She crouched down and picked it up, inspecting the liquid that began to dry up on the blade. "What did you do?"

He didn't speak, only moving his left arm towards her for her to take, the Night Elf rolling up his sleeve and noticing the three lines in his arm, the newest one not yet scarred over.

"What do these mean?"

"There's one for every person I've lost in this war." He moved his head slightly to face her, only catching the tiniest glimpse of the elf. "And those to come."

She looked at the lines again, trying to add up who he had lost in this war, widening her eyes a little and looking at him once she figured it out. "Her, Vilandil and Clara." He only nodded in reply, still looking at his Blood-Queen. "We need to get going, I don't think they can handle the Queen of the Frost Wyrms alone."

Athrodar looked up towards Lana'thel's bed. "Help me put her in her bed." He picked her up, Elaria running over to the bed and pulling back the bed sheet. Athrodar placed her in it and covered her up so only her head was showing as well as the tips of her wings, looking like she was sleeping peacefully. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "I will come back for you once this is all over, find you a place to be buried, away from this accursed continent."

Elaria began to pull him away from her, the former Prince beginning to move on his own when she span him around to face the way they were walking. Once they had finally left the Crimson Halls, Elaria stopped him from walking, spinning him around to face her. "Come on, let it out."

He frowned at her. "Let it out? Didn't I do that?"

She rolled her eyes. "You let it out when she was there, but now you're away from her, you will start to feel it. You've been through a lot in a very short amount of time. You lost your Blood-Queen and you almost lost Thal, all within a few hours." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let it out."

He sighed, resting his head on her shoulder, Elaria patting him on the back when he began to gently weep on her. This went on for a minute, Elaria pulling him off her after counting that minute in her head. "Good, now get your game face on. You're the Prince of Death, and you will show the Scourge exactly what that means."

He nodded at her, straightening out his armour and unsheathing one of his swords. The glow that normally danced along the blade had intensified, temporarily blinding Elaria for a couple of seconds. His eyes were glowing a brighter blue now than it was earlier, Elaria only just noticing it when he focused on his sword, smirking when she felt his power resonating off of him. "Let's help them kill this dragon then it's off to kill Arthas."

Elaria grinned, unslinging her bow. "That's the spirit."

"Can you feel the cold hand of death, upon your heart!?" Sindragosa was flying above the platform everyone else was standing on, spitting out a massive ball of ice towards them, freezing a handful of Crusaders who were too slow to react. "Perish!"

Athrodar and Elaria arrived on a nearby balcony, the former Prince looking up at Sindragosa, the Frost-Queen not taking any notice of the two new comers. He looked down at the gap between the balcony and the Frost Wyrm, looking up to Sindragosa and back down at the gap once more. "I think I can make that."

"Are you nuts? You'll never make that."

He smirked. "It's worth a shot." He took a few steps back until his back was pressed up against a wall, holding one of his swords, the blade facing behind him, running towards the railing of the balcony, placing one foot on it and launching himself up several feet into the air. He raised his sword up above his head, the blade now facing down and towards the shoulder of Sindragosa, holding onto his sword with both hands and planting the blade deep into his target.

Sindragosa let out a deafening roar as his frost magic began to seep into her bones, freezing her wing and making her land on the platform below. "Argh! It burns! What sorcery is this?" She began to thrash her head around from left to right, trying to shake Athrodar off her, the former Prince gripping onto her skeletal frame tightly.

Elaria shook her head, climbing down from the balcony she was on. "He got lucky, that's all it was. He couldn't do that again, even if he tried." She landed on the platform below, fighting with some of the skeletal dragon whelplings that flapped towards her.

Tirion gripped onto Ashbringer tightly, swinging it in big arcs and sending forth waves of holy light that was incinerating the Frost-Queen's legs. "The light will put you to rest, your tormented soul will finally be free from this eternal prison!" He moved to the wing Athrodar froze, swinging hard and smashing the ice and bone that attached it to her body, the rest of the wing falling off and landing on the platform.

Athrodar unsheathed his second blade, slamming into her other shoulder and freezing over her second wing, holding on to her neck tightly as she tried to throw him off her once more. "Give up Frost-Queen, your brood has been slain and your wings are useless. Stop fighting and accept your fate."

Sindragosa let out another deafening roar, making some of the icicles on the roof detach from where they were hanging, falling down and crashing all around the platform, specifically on Sindragosa and landing near Athrodar a couple of times. Several Dark Ranger's fired shadow arrows at the dragon's head, most of the projectiles hitting their target and exploding on contact, silencing the Frost-Queen, stopping her from roaring and making the icicles fall.

Athrodar placed his both hands on her neck, his eyes glowing brightly as he concentrated on the spell he knew would finish this quickly. He began to murmur the words under his breath, whipping up a small snowstorm in the meantime, covering the platform in a thin layer of the fluffy, white powder. Just like with the Frost Wyrm he fought under Naxxramas, he sent out a pulse of frost magic, shattering the vertebrae of the Frost-Queen and making her collapse to the floor in a pile of bones. The lights in her eyes died out just after her final words. "Free! At last!"

Elaria ran towards him, pulling the former Prince off the pile of bones he was laying on. "Yeah, you really need to live a more normal life."

He chuckled, brushing off some of the snow the was clinging onto him. "If I lived a more normal life, I don't think we would have ever met."

She shook her head, looking at his eyes that were more distracting now than they were before the assault on Icecrown started. "Did you know your eyes are more ablaze with that blue, glowing magic you have now more than ever?"

"No, I didn't." He unhooked one of his knives, trying to look at his reflection. "When did this happen?"

She squinted at him, trying to see if there was anything left that could resemble eyes. "It really does make you stand out, I don't think you can be as stealthy as you once were."

"Elaria.. When did this happen?"

"Right, sorry." She looked around, finding everyone else was far enough away for them not to eavesdrop. She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Roughly around the time your Blood-Queen.. you know..." She pulled back, straightening her posture and raising her voice back to normal. "So, you're not making yourself do this?"

He shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of." He looked at himself in the reflection of his knife once more. "It doesn't feel like it's draining me either. I wonder what brought this on."

 _Your grief._ Came a voice in his head, Athrodar choosing to listen to it this time.

"Perhaps it will fade over time." She looked back at the pile of bones behind them. "Either way, it seems to help us more than hinder us." She grinned as something crossed her mind. "Thal is going to notice it as soon as she looks at you."

He smiled a little. "Yes, she will." He looked over towards Tirion who was gathering up everyone. "Come on, let's go over there."

Tirion stood at the front of the army that had gathered around him and Darion. "This was our final obstacle. Nothing stands between us and the Lich King." A quick cheer erupted around the room, Tirion waving it off. "But he is nothing like we have faced so far. He is the bringer of death himself, the man who has brought an immense amount of pain to families, wiping out a nation in his path and almost sending another into extinction."

The Dark Rangers began to curse in Thalassian, Athrodar grinning at what they said. "Steel your hearts, champions, for we have come this far and we will not fall at the final hurdle. We will cleanse this world of his plague and bring vengeance to those who seek it, and at the end of all this, you will be welcomed to all those back home as heroes, for your names will be echoed through the ages."

Athrodar looked around as the cheers grew louder and more frequent, glancing over to Elaria who raised an eyebrow at him. "March with me now, Champions of Justice! March with me as we climb the steps to the Frozen Throne and cast Arthas down from his pedestal! The hour of his reckoning has come!"


	44. Chapter 44

**Arthas: The Lich King**

The final march to victory was underway, Tirion leading them towards the icy steps that would take them to the Frozen Throne. Darion was close behind him, watching their surrounding for any incoming Scourge they may have missed, though he was certain they had cleared out the Citadel. Athrodar brought up the rear alongside Clea and Anya, the Dark-Ranger General and her second bringing up his eyes and their increased intensity. "What brings this on?" Asked Clea.

"I don't know."

Anya leaned forward to get a better look at his eyes, all three of them still walking side by side. "Do you think they indicate how much power you have? They're a lot brighter than any other Death Knight's eyes that I have seen."

Athrodar raised an eyebrow at her. "Since when do you look at their eyes?"

She scoffed. "I don't, It's just that your eyes are much more... Out there." She moved in front of the pair of them, only to turn around and begin to walk backwards. "In other news, do you plan on taking our Queen up on her offer?"

"Why is everyone concerned with what I do in the near future?"

Clea laughed. "You're kidding, right? Once we kill Arthas, you'll be the most powerful Death Knight in the world, something that will be sort after by both factions." She looked at Anya who was still walking backwards. "We don't particularly want to have to face you in the field if it comes to that."

"Especially since you mix your Death Knight abilities with your Ranger abilities." Added Anya.

"Both factions you say?" He smirked. "Maybe I could visit Stormwind, I hear it's bustling with activity.. I could get used to the crowds."

Clea shook her head. "Ah see, this is what I didn't want. If you were to take our Queen up on her offer, you will be more welcome there than in any other city."

Anya grinned at them. "And you'll be making our lives easier."

"That's what this is about, isn't it? To make me accept her offer because it makes your lives easier." He glanced over to Clea. "As I make her happy. Isn't that what you said?"

Clea avoided his gaze, looking to one side of the hall they were in. "Would it be so bad?"

He shook his head. "That's a shit reason to accept her offer." He looked towards the middle of the Citadel and the steps that would lead them up to Arthas. "I will think about her offer once we've killed Arthas." He looked down to Clea and Anya who were staring at the icy steps, smiling a little when he saw the determination in their eyes. "And we will kill him." He muttered.

They began the climb up the icy steps, taking each one carefully and one at a time as they had no guard railing and nobody wanted to fall to their death after fighting their way through the many horror's within the Citadel. Tirion was the first to reach the top having gone first, Darion and several of his captains arriving shortly after, Elaria following them. The rest of the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade were behind the Night elf.

Clea and her Dark Rangers along with Athrodar brought up the rear, arriving at the Frozen Throne a couple of minutes after Tirion, all of them standing on the platform below the Throne Arthas was sitting on. "So the Light's vaunted justice has finally arrived? Shall I lay down Frostmourne and throw myself at your mercy, Fordring?" Arthas began to climb down the steps of his throne.

Athrodar looked up to the chained up figure above the icy seat he was all too familiar with, noticing it was a new addition to the throne. "Highlord, I think I have found Bolvar." Tirion looked around to face him, Athrodar pointing up to the chained up human.

Tirion met Arthas at the foot of the steps the lead down from the Frozen Throne, holding Ashbringer tightly in his hand. "We'll grant you a swift Death, Arthas. More than can be said for the thousands you've tortured and slain."

Arthas' smirk was seen by those close enough to him, his helmet covering most of his expressions. "You'll learn of that first hand. When my work is complete, you will beg for mercy and I will deny you. Your anguished cries will be testament to my unbridled power..."

"So be it." Tirion looked behind him, raising Ashbringer up into the air. "Champions, attack!"

Arthas aimed Frostmourne at him, launching an icy attack at the paladin and freezing him in a block of ice. "I'll keep you alive to witness the end, Fordring. I would not want the Light's greatest champion to miss seeing this wretched world remade in my image." Arthas began to charge towards the group of stunned Crusader's, Athrodar reacting quickly and parrying the runeblade that was coming down to meet one of them.

He stood face to face with Arthas, the pair of them staring each other down, both of Athrodar's blades holding Frostmourne back between them. "You will pay for what you did to her, monster!"

Arthas chuckled, pushing his former Prince back several yards and summoning many Val'kyr to his position, the winged maidens of death swarming everyone on the platform, picking up the unlucky few and dropping them off the side of the glacier. Arthas made sure it was just him and his former Prince left to fight one another whilst everyone else was distracted by his Val'kyr. "What I did to her? Aren't you the one who drove your sword through her?"

Athrodar grit his teeth in anger, roaring at him and charging towards him once more, swinging one sword at him that was met by Frostmourne, swinging his other one towards him directly after, only to be met by the his runeblade as well. "You tortured her, laid your hands upon her, punished her for all those years of loyal service."

This time it was Arthas who went of the offensive, bringing Frostmourne around and knocking one of Athrodar's blades out of his hand, leaving him with one sword. "Loyal service? I know about her hatred towards me, her people's hatred towards the Scourge and all those lower than them. Though it didn't affect me." He fully disarmed Athrodar on his next swing, kicking the former prince across the platform shortly after.

He unslung his bow, getting to one knee and firing an arrow at Arthas, the projectile moving too fast for him to block it with his runeblade, hitting him in the shoulder and piercing through the leather that held his plated armour in place. "You made me kill her because she loved me and was loyal to me and you were jealous."

Arthas cackled, snapping the arrow in half and dropping the piece he held in his hand on the floor. "Jealous? I made you kill her because the rage and grief you are feeling would blind you, making it easier to kill you." He looked beyond the former Prince, smirking as a Val'kyr dove down towards him and picked him up.

Athrodar unsheathed one of his daggers, forcing it into the arm of the Val'kyr that held him, the angelic being dropping him on the other side of the platform, coincidently next to Elaria. "Nice for you to drop by."

He shook his head, clearing his vision. "I need you to come at him from behind the next time I engage him on my own." He looked directly at Elaria. "Can you do that?"

She hesitated, looking unsure of her abilities all of a sudden. "I can try."

"That's all I ask." He unsheathed his other dagger, running back over to Arthas, sliding on his knees and bending backwards as Frostmourne was swung towards his chest, stabbing one of his daggers into the Lich King's plated ankle.

Elaria made her way around the edge of the platform, trying to make herself unseen as she stood at the foot of the icy steps leading to the throne, moving past Tirion and running at Arthas, leaping into the air and lunging her blades into his back and right shoulder. She dropped down after he began to shake her off, getting back handed across the platform shortly after.

Arthas growled in frustration at the flimsy attempt to take his life. "You will have to try better than that to kill me." He turned back around to face Athrodar who had recovered both his sword, watching them glow brighter as he got nearer.

A snowstorm quickly enveloped Athrodar, swinging both his swords simultaneously towards Arthas, Frostmourne making its way up to parry them once more, the snowstorm around the former Prince knocking the pair of them back several yards as the impact of both blades created an explosion of power between them.

Arthas shrugged it off, remaining on his feet whilst Athrodar was knocked off his, getting back up onto them after a couple of seconds. "I may have given you a lot of power and some of my essence, but that doesn't mean you are as strong as me." He slammed Frostmourne into the ground, standing in the middle of the platform. "I will freeze all of you from within until all that remains is an icy husk."

Athrodar watched as a blizzard began to roll in, much larger than any he had created, slowly making it's way from the edges to the centre. He noticed many of the Val'kyr had been slain, those remaining had broken and fled. He placed on hand on the platform and erected several walls of ice to block off the blizzard that was closing in around them. "Everyone to me, quickly!"

They all made their way to him, the translucent ice given them some idea of what was happening, all of them watching the blizzard close in on Arthas and burst our across the floor in waves of ice. "We need to stop him before we all freeze in here."

Athrodar looked towards Clea, the Dark-Ranger Generals words not going unheard. "I'm going to drop this wall, I need you and your Rangers to fire as many shadow arrows as you can, perhaps we can weaken him enough to actually land a blow."

Anya widened her eyes a little. "You haven't even landed a blow on him yet?"

He shook his head. "He's stronger than I first thought, we need to take him together." He placed the tip of his sword down on the floor, looking over to Clea. "Are you ready."

She looked at her Dark Rangers, all of them nodding when her eyes met theirs. "We're ready."

Athrodar dropped the wall of ice. "Now!" They all fired a volley shadow arrows at Arthas, all of them hitting him but only a few of them causing an explosion, the rest just bouncing off him. "Darion, I need you to keep him focused on you and your Death Knights."

Darion sent in all of the Death Knights to fight Arthas, the Argent Crusader's aiding them in their fight. He looked back at Athrodar. "What will you be doing?"

He glanced over to Elaria. "What do you say about doing the fake out?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? I don't think I can take being hit around the face again."

He chuckled, turning back to Darion. "Go, we've got this." He watched the Highlord run towards Arthas, turning back around to face Elaria. "Shall we?"

She groaned, already feeling Arthas' gauntleted hand hitting her across the face again. "Fine." She began to move behind Arthas, Athrodar standing close by and waiting for her to initiate the attack. She unsheathed her sword, lunging it towards Arthas and only grazing him, though it was enough to make him turn around and swat her away.

As he hit Elaria across the face with the back of his hand, he was met by Athrodar shortly after, the former Prince lunging both his blades deep into Arthas' abdomen, smirking at the Lich King when the hilts of his blades touched his armour. "It's over Arthas."

Oh how he was wrong.

Arthas cackled at him, gripping the former Prince around the throat and throwing him across the room, pulling out both swords and dropping them on the floor afterwards. He gripped Frostmourne tightly, lifting it up into the air and summoning several shadowy tendrils that gripped every single one of them around the throat, slowly choking the life out of them.

"No questions remain unanswered. No doubts linger. You ARE Azeroth's greatest champions. You overcame every challenge I laid before you. My mightiest servants have fallen before your relentless onslaught... your unbridled fury." He looked over at Athrodar specifically, grinning at his former Prince. "Is it truly righteousness that drives you? I wonder..."

He turned his head to face Tirion, the Grand Paladin still encased in ice, watching as his Champions, his friends, get their life drained from them by the runeblade. "You trained them well, Fordring. You delivered the greatest fighting force this world has ever known... right into my hands – exactly as I intended! You shall be rewarded for your unwitting sacrifice."

He turned back around to face them, looking at every single one of them, grinning wickedly as they slowly began to give up the fight. "Watch now as I choke the life out of them, raising them from the dead and making them masters of the Scourge. They will shroud this world in chaos and destruction. Azeroth's fall will come at their hands – and you will be the first to die."

Arthas chuckled. "I delight in the irony."

Tirion grit his teeth, closing his eyes and praying to the light. "Light.. Grant me one final blessing! Give me the strength... To shatter these bonds!" The light began to envelope the Highlord, quickly melting the ice around him and giving him the strength to do exactly what he asked of it to do. The block of ice he was encased in shattered, freeing the paladin whilst Arthas' back was turned.

Athrodar watched Tirion turn around, holding onto a glowing Ashbringer and begin to make his way towards Arthas, charging at the Lich King from behind and leaping into the air. He swung Ashbringer down towards Frostmourne, one legendary blade clashing with another, though the one wielded by Tirion shattered Arthas' runeblade, freeing everyone from his deathly grip. "Impossible!" Exclaimed Arthas, dropping the hilt of his blade on the floor and watching the many souls trapped inside get released and swirl around in front of him.

Everyone dropped to their knees along with Arthas, Athrodar getting onto his feet first, looking to make his way towards the Lich King, stopping when Terenas Menethil appeared in front of his son. "Free at last!" He turned to face his son. "It is over, my son. This is the moment of reckoning."

Tirion looked down at Arthas, holding onto Ashbringer tightly but not thinking about dealing the final blow. "No more, Arthas! No more lives will be consumed by your hatred!"

Whilst they were all distracted, most of them still trying to find their breaths, Athrodar ran over to his blades, picking up both of them and driving one into Arthas' back, the majority of the blade finding its way through him and sticking out of his chest. He removed Arthas' helmet, moving his head to next to his ear. "This is for Lana'thel, and all those you have tortured and killed." He drove his second blade down his shoulder and into his chest.

Arthas fell forward, Frostmourne shattered and slain by his former Prince. He rolled onto his back, looking at his father who stood over him, his eyes cleared of the necromantic magic, looking at the ghost of his father with his own eyes. "Father! Is... is it over?"

Terenas took his son's hand. "At long last." He looked down at his sons hand. "No king rules forever my son."

Arthas' eyes widened, staring off into the sky. "I see.. only darkness.. before.. me.." His hand let go of his fathers, his eyes staring out into the sky, lifeless.

Tirion began to walk over towards them, Terenas glancing over to him before returning his gaze to his son. "Without its masters command, the restless Scourge will become an even greater threat to this world." He stood up, facing Tirion. "Control must be maintained. There must always be... A Lich King." Terenas' spirit faded, leaving the world of the living forever.

Athrodar fell to his knees, looking at his hands. "It's.. It's over."

Elaria made her way over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You did it. You killed him."

He shook his head. "No, this was no one person's feat." He glanced over to Tirion who was picking up Arthas' helmet. "Tirion?"

"The weight, of such a burden. It must be mine.. for there is no other.." He stared at his reflection in the saronite crystal embedded in the helmet.

"TIRION!" Yelled Bolvar from atop the Throne, the chains holding him in place snapping once Arthas had fallen. "You hold a grim destiny on your hands, brother. But it is not your own."

Tirion looked up at captured Alliance Highlord. "Bolvar." On closer inspection, he could see the cruel fate that had been bestowed upon him. "By all that is holy.." The Alliance Highlord had been consumed by the dragon's flame, leaving nothing of the man he was resembled.

Bolvar stirred on the throne. "The dragon's flame... sealed my fate. The world of the living can no longer comfort me." Tirion climbed the steps of the throne, standing in front of Bolvar. "Place the crown upon my head Tirion. Forever more, I will be the jailer of the damned."

Tirion turned around. "No old friend... I cannot."

"Do it Tirion! You and these brave champions have their own destinies to fulfil... This last act of service, is mine." Tirion turned around, slowly placing Arthas' helmet on Bolvar's head.

"You will not be forgotten brother..."

"I must be forgotten, Tirion!" He snapped. "If the world is to live free from the tyranny of fear, they must never know what was done here today." Tirion placed the crown on Bolvar's head, the Highlord of the Alliance slowly moving his head back to rest on the throne, his eyes now ablaze with an orange flame. The throne he sat upon began to freeze him in place. "Tell them only that the Lich King is dead, and that Bolvar Fordragon died with him." The new Lich King was fully covered in ice, Tirion making his way down to the foot of the throne, looking back at him. "Now, go! Leave this place and never return!"

Athrodar, after watching everything, watched Tirion stand there and take in everything that had just happened. "Highlord?"

A smile played across his face, turning around to face Athrodar. "We are victorious..." He muttered, holding his head up high and shouting those words again. "WE. ARE. VICTORIOUS!" Cheers and scream of victory echoed throughout the platform they were still on, many of them hugging each other, not believing they had survived everything.

Athrodar glanced over to Elaria who had a tear in her eye, the former Prince waiting for her to look at him. "I need a mage."

She smiled at him. "We have one in Dalaran, waiting for your return."

He shook his head. "It's not for me."

* * *

Elaria and Athrodar returned to Lana'thel's chamber, a couple of mages following them, though were a little confused on why they were back in this forsaken place. He turned to face the pair of them when they were by the body of his Blood-Queen, still laying in her bed. "I need a portal to Silvermoon, specifically Sunfury Spire."

They looked at each other, the braver one of the two speaking up. "I mean no offence Captain, but why? She is Scourge."

"She was also a Magister of Silvermoon." He looked back at her. "One who deserves to be buried amongst her former people." They both looked at each other again, deciding to create a portal to Sunfury Spire when he glared at the pair of them.

The swirling vortex appeared between them and Athrodar, the former Prince looking over to Elaria who nodded at him. "I will watch over her until you return."

"Thank you." He smiled at her, taking one last look at Lana'thel before walking through the portal, arriving in a much hotter climate than the one he was in now, making his way to the one man he knew would listen to him.

Upon entering his chambers, he was met with a shocked expression. "Athrodar? What... What are you doing here? Where's my daughter?"

"She's safe, recovering in Dalaran." He raised his hand to stop any more questions coming his way from the Grand Magister. "I need your help." He closed his eyes. "Actually, I need your blessing on something... Something delicate."

The Grand Magister frowned at him. "I'm listening." Athrodar filled him in on everything, Telramar raising an eyebrow at his request. "You want to bring a member of the Scourge through this city and to bury her in Silvermoon's graveyard?"

A nod. "Yes."

Telramar laughed. "Have you gone mad? I can't just let you bury a member of the Scourge in our most sacred graveyard."

"She was a former Magister of Silvermoon... And the woman I loved." His eyes saddened, dropping down to look at the floor. "I beg you Grand Magister, let me do this. Let me bring her home.. I can't let her rot on that forsaken continent any longer."

He sighed, weighing up the pro's and con's. "I suppose I can let this slide... But I will need something big in return."

Athrodar smirked. "How about knowing that Arthas has been slain?"

Telramar dropped the papers he was holding, looking at Athrodar wide eyed. "Could it be? Is he dead?" Athrodar nodded, explaining the situation to him. "Why didn't you start with that!? Of course! Bring her... It's the least Silvermoon can do!"

Athrodar clapped him on the shoulder. "Good, come with me then, I need you to hold the portal open and guide me through the city."

The pair of them set off towards the portal, Grand Magister Dawnstrider holding it open long enough to allow Athrodar passage in and out of the Citadel, retrieving Lana'thel's body on the way back. "Lana'thel... Yes I remember her." He looked sad when he laid eyes upon her, Athrodar holding her tightly in his arms. "She was a talented mage.. She didn't deserve this fate."

Athrodar looked at her, nodding at the Grand Magister's words. "I know." The pair of them set off towards the Graveyard Athrodar looked to bury her in, getting to work on digging a hole for her, Telramar returning to him with several mages and a coffin, one suited for a Queen. "This... This is too much Grand Magister."

He waved him off. "This is nothing. It was meant for Kael'thas.. It matched his fathers, but since he betrayed his people, we had it lying around, gathering dust." He ordered his mages to magically dig the rest of the grave, lifting the soil out of the ground and lowering the coffin down into it once Athrodar placed her inside. They moved the soil back over it and placing down a gravestone, her face magically being etched onto it, matching her likeness in life. Under it was her name along with her birth and death dates.

The Grand Magister along with his mages left Athrodar to grieve, the former Prince collecting himself after some time, placing one of his daggers down in front of the gravestone. "Sleep well, my Queen." He began to make his way back up to Sunfury Spire and to the Grand Magister's office. "Telramar, I need you for one more thing."

He looked over towards Athrodar, picking up his papers he dropped earlier. "Yes?"

"I need a portal to Dalaran."

* * *

 **A/N: So we've reached the end of Arthas, but the story isn't over just yet. I have a couple more Chapters to do, going over Athrodar + Thalina's future (After all, that's what this is all about :D). So expect those to be coming in the following days as I am getting to work on them as you read this.**

 **Also, I finished Chapter 42 the day it was uploaded, followed by Chapter 43 being written and completed several hours after, having planned and thought about that chapter since Chapter 25. This one however was completed the following day, so I guess it's 3 chapters in 3 days... or 2 depending on where you live**

 **Anyway, I have 2-3 more Chapters to write then it's the end of A Frozen Revenge. I will update you all once more on the final chapter of what I will be doing after this story. So Favourite/Follow and Leave a Review on what you thought about the story so far and as a whole.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Hours After Victory**

Athrodar arrived in the main square of Dalaran where he was met with celebrations that were already happening in the streets. Deciding to keep his head low, he stuck to the shadows and back alleys of the city, making his way towards the infirmary Thalina was taken to hours ago, finding it to be left unguarded after the news of Arthas being slain was spread all across the city.

He entered the building, lowering his hood when he saw Thalina sleeping on one of the beds, Liadrin asleep on the chair next to her. He sat down at the bottom of her bed, unslinging his bow and placing it down at the foot of it, followed by his quiver, two swords, daggers and his belt that held his throwing knives. Upon placing the belt down, he smirked at how many weapons he had been carrying around with him for the past year or two, looking up towards the entrance to the building and watching Elaria make her way in.

"You're finally here then."

Elaria chuckled lightly. "I have been here ever since you left with Lana'thel. I just popped out to get a few things." She looked over at Thalina and Liadrin, grinning at the pair of them. "They're still sleeping I see."

Athrodar looked passed the Night Elf, watching the celebrations get under full swing as fireworks were being launched. "You don't wish to join them?"

She smirked. "I could ask you the same question."

He shook his head, grinning at her skilful dodging of his question. "It's not for me, not any more." He looked up to her one more. "Has Tirion arrived in Dalaran?"

A nod. "I saw him talking to Rhonin at the foot of the Violet Citadel, though I reckon they've gone inside by now."

"Thank you." He stood up, walking passed Elaria and stopping as he got to the entrance. "Come get me when she wakes up." He watched her nod once more, making his way through the city, ignoring the celebrations happening around him and climbing up the steps towards the Violet Citadel, making his way towards Rhonin's office.

He knocked on the door, waiting for the Archmage to answer. "You wish to speak to my husband?"

Athrodar turned around to face the owner of the voice, finding Vereesa standing nearby, watching him carefully. "No, but I do wish to speak with the Highlord who is currently in there with him."

She smiled at his attempt at being formal. "You can drop the act, Death Knight." She stepped closer, standing between him and the door. "Rhonin has spoken about you. It's Athrodar, correct?" He nodded, making her smile again. "Your reputation speaks for itself, seeing as you were there to slay Arthas." She leaned closer to him. "Congratulations, by the way."

He shook his head. "It wasn't just me."

She waved him off. "I know, just take the praise. My husband has told me about your... relationship... with my sister." She laughed a little. "Even hearing myself talk about it sounds far-fetched." She looked him up and down. "She sure does know how to pick them."

He frowned at her. "I don't know what you've heard, but I wouldn't say we're in any sort of relationship."

"Oh, so the rumours about her offering you a place by her side are what? False?" She smirked at his silence. "Come on, I think Rhonin can spare Tirion for a few minutes." She opened the door to the room, walking over to Rhonin once their presence was known.

Rhonin looked at Athrodar, raising his goblet up to him. "Ah, Captain. I suppose congratulations are in order."

Vereesa pulled on his arm to get him to follow her out the room. "I have already done so, my love. He chose not to accept it however, telling me it wasn't just him who killed Arthas."

"No, I suppose that's true. Either way, congratulations on your victory. You have done Azeroth a great service." He looked over to Tirion, raising his goblet towards him as well. "The pair of you have." He walked out the room soon after, Vereesa practically dragging him out.

Tirion walked towards Athrodar, the pair of them shaking hands. "You wished to speak with me Captain?"

"I did." He followed Tirion towards a couple of chairs, refusing the Highlord's offer to sit down with him, opting to stand. "I won't be long, I just came by to say thank you... You know.. for saving all of us."

Tirion waved it off. "Bah, any one of you would have done the same if given the opportunity. I was just lucky enough to be the one holding the sword."

Athrodar smirked, chuckling a little when he thought about it in finer detail. "I suppose you're right." He refilled Tirion's goblet when he saw it was empty. "Either way, I am grateful for what you did. None of us would be here if it weren't for you and your light."

Tirion stood up, offering his hand to Athrodar. The former Prince took hold of it but was pulled in for a brotherly hug seconds after, Tirion patting him on the back. "You're a man of rare breed Captain, charging in head first several times towards an enemy most would have ran from." He pulled away from him, shaking his hand. "It was an honour to fight by your side."

Athrodar grinned. "The honour was all mine, Highlord." He bowed to him shortly after, leaving the room and informing Rhonin that Tirion was all his, making his way back towards the infirmary, only to run into Elaria as he neared the entrance. "Is she awake?"

"She is, and she's asking about you."

The pair of them walked into the building, Thalina's eyes lighting up when she saw Athrodar, the former Prince crouching down beside her bed as she extending out one hand to him. "Your eyes are brighter than I remember."

Elaria snorted, Athrodar looking over to her. "She said that would be the first thing you'd notice." He turned his head back around to face Thalina. "How are you feeling?"

She was sat up in bed, wearing nothing but a few rags of clothing that the priests had spare, having run low on gowns ever since the Wrath Gate. She smiled weakly at him, still not fully there in terms of consciousness. "Like I could conquer the world."

Athrodar watched her sway side to side, the Magister was still light headed from being brought back from temporary death. He stood up from his crouched position, climbing into bed with her and sitting by her side, allowing her to lean on him. "I think conquering the world will have to wait, you can't even sit still without falling over to one side." He stroked her hair back behind her ear, noticing it was losing it's crimson colour and slowly turning back to it's original shade of brunette.

She closed her eyes, resting her head on his arm. "Did we win?"

Elaria moved to sit at the end of the bed, crossing her legs and staring at the pair of them. "We did." She looked over to Athrodar. "Big man over here dealt the final blow."

She smiled, still keeping her eyes closed. "Yaaay..." She cheered, sounding a mix between tired and drunk.

Athrodar chuckled, throwing an arm around her. "I don't think she fully knows what we're talking about, or that we're actually here." He watched her open her eyes and look down at her clothing, looking a little confused on what she was wearing. "Maybe she doesn't know where she is either."

Liadrin was still sleeping in the chair next to them, letting out a loud snore and catching their attention, including Thalina who began to giggle at her. "She's a loud sleeper." She began to crawl over Athrodar's lap, reaching the edge of the bed and stretching out a hand towards Liadrin, waving it in front of the paladin's face. "Li Li.. You need to be quiet, you're going to wake people up."

Elaria raised an eyebrow at the Magister. "Is this what she's like drunk? Because I've never seen her like this." She continued to watch Thalina, stifling a laugh when she almost fell off the bed, still stretching out her hand towards Liadrin who moved away from the swatting hand. "Perhaps it's best we keep her away from sharp things."

Athrodar pulled her away from the edge, Thalina looking back at him and falling forward into his arm, moving both her arms around him for a hug. "We have a daughter, did you know we have a daughter?"

He moved to the other side of the bed, laying down and pulling Thalina down with him, the Magister making a sound of exuberance as she fell backwards against a pillow, laying down next to him. "Thal, I think you need to rest some more."

She looked over to him. "I think I need to rest some more."

He rolled his eyes, pulling her closer to him and spooning her from behind, the Magister taking hold of his hand in both of hers and staring directly at it. "Sleep Thal, I'll be here when you wake up." He kissed her ear, watching it twitch when he moved back a little.

Elaria laid down in front of Thalina, yawning when the Magister yawned. "What did you speak to Tirion about?" She watched Thalina quickly fade into the state of sleep once more.

He lightly stroked Thalina's hair, listening for the gentle breathing pattern that would tell him she was taken into the peaceful embrace of sleep. "I was just thanking him for saving us back at the Frozen Throne. If he didn't do what he did, we wouldn't be here."

Elaria nodded, yawning once more. "That's true." She closed her eyes, still trying to carry on the conversation despite her body telling her it was time to rest. "I don't think we... could have survived... if it wasn't.. for Highlord... Tirion.. an..."

Athrodar smiled, finding it amusing that she couldn't finish her sentence. He turned his gaze back to Thalina, watching her sleep in front of him and finding the whole thing peaceful, something he would have found annoying a couple years back.

 _This war has matured you more than you could have known._ Once again, he chose to listen to the voice in his head, holding onto Thalina a little tighter when she shifted in her sleep. The silence in the room however did give him the time he needed to think about his future, specifically who he was going to spend it with.

* * *

He spent hours laying by Thalina, her peaceful sleeping gave him a clear mind when planning his future, though it was interrupted every few minutes by the celebrations outside, Athrodar eventually giving up and deciding to lay by the Magister's side until she woke up, closing his eyes and trying to sleep, though he knew it wasn't as simple as that, at least not for him.

"You two look adorable."

Athrodar opened his eyes, finding Liadrin was awake and looking at the pair of them. "Morning."

She smiled, having realised what was going on outside. "I suppose congratulations is in order."

He waved it off. "It's fine, I've already grown tired of the praise." He watched her stand up from her chair. "Going somewhere?"

Liadrin stretched her limbs, picking up her sword that was resting on the chair she was just in. "I need to head back to Silvermoon and tell Lor'themar about your... our victory today."

Athrodar got up and out of the bed, walking over to his own weapons, only throwing on his bow and quiver. "Let me walk you to the portals, I have to go to Undercity anyway."

She strapped her sword to her back, putting her gauntlets on her hands after. "How is she?" Liadrin nodded over to Thalina.

Athrodar pulled up his hood, looking back at Thalina. "A little loopy."

Liadrin smiled. "That's probably the peacebloom wine they gave her." She glanced over to Athrodar who raised an eyebrow at her. "Hey, it was her choice. It was between that and the water version."

They both left the infirmary, walking towards the portals that would take them to their respective destinations. "This is where we part ways. Though I can't say for how long."

Liadrin shook his hand. "Don't be a stranger, alright? After everything that has happened, I'm sure you will always be welcomed back to Quel'Thalas."

He smirked. "I'll keep that in mind." He watched Liadrin step through the portal to Silvermoon, looking over to the one that would take him to Undercity, stepping through it shortly after.

The feeling of being home washed over him when he landed in the Forsaken capital, filling his mind with doubt when he thought about being alone in the world. He tried to clear his mind of any doubt he had, though it remained in the back of his mind as he walked through the city, finding he had already made it to the entrance of the Royal Quarter in a matter of minutes.

He pushed open the twin doors to the Royal Quarter, the loud creaking coming from them giving away his arrival to those inside, finding Clea and Anya talking to their Queen in the meantime. They all looked over towards him, the two Dark Rangers already making themselves scarce without having to be told by their Queen.

Athrodar watched them leave, turning back around to face Sylvanas who stood up from her throne. "So Arthas is dead?"

He began to walk towards her, stopping at the foot of her dais. "He is."

She looked distant at his confirmation, staring at the wall behind him. "I didn't want to believe it but I felt something in the back of my mind. He's really dead?"

Athrodar climbed the steps to her throne, standing in front of her and grabbing her attention. "Yes, he's really dead."

Sylvanas smiled a little, placing a hand on his face. "Have you come to accept my offer?"

He moved his head away from her hand, starting to pace around her dais. "About that. I have come here to talk about that offer, but not in a way that you would like."

She frowned at him, watching him pace. "You don't mean to accept it, do you?"

He stopped moving, spinning around to face her. "I didn't say that, but I will need clarification on what your offer entails." She reminded him on her offer, specifically staying by her side throughout the future wars to come, though not as an equal. "I see."

Sylvanas stepped closer to him. "So, what do you say?"

"I will not accept your offer." Sylvanas sighed, walking to her throne and sitting down on it, looking a little annoyed with his answer. "But I do have a proposition for you."

Her eyes shifted up to his. "I'm listening."

"I am thinking about forming a group of freelance mercenaries and I plan on stationing them near your lands, though not in them."

She sat back on her throne, frowning at him. "Why are you telling me this?"

"For one thing, it's so you don't think we're a group of bandits and try to clear us out." He crouched down in front of her, taking her hand in both of his. "Plus, it means I will always be nearby if you need me." He smirked. "Though it will cost you."

She leaned forward on her throne, closing the gap between them significantly. "And where do you plan on moving in?"

"I'll be far enough away to not be in your lands, but close enough that I can still see the ruins of the city above." He stood up, looking down at her as she moved back on her throne. "The Ruins of Alterac are still under the control of bandits, right?"

She stood up as well, inches separating the two of them. "The last I checked, yes." Her eyes shifted down to his lips, looking back up into his eyes. "I take it that's where you're moving in."

He smirked when she moved her arms around him. "I need to be getting back to Dalaran." He kissed her lightly when she moved a little closer. "You know where I will be if you need me, but as I said." He kissed her again. "It will cost you."

She let go of him, watching him leave the Royal Quarter, Clea and Anya re-entering the room when Athrodar walked passed them. "Did he accept?" Asked Clea, hoping he did.

"No, but he will be nearby if we need him." She smiled at the thought of needing him, wiping her smile away when Clea and Anya frowned at her. "Let's talk about our little Scarlet problem, shall we?"

* * *

Athrodar returned to Dalaran minutes later, the celebrations in the city were slowly dying down, several of its citizens were unconscious on the streets having drunk too much wine. The former Prince made his way back into the infirmary, finding Thalina and Elaria both sitting up and talking to each other, the Magister shifting her eyes towards him and smiling brightly. "Hi."

He pulled down his hood, unslinging his bow and taking off his quiver, placing both of them down with the rest of his weapons. He looked up to Thalina who moved to the edge of the bed, throwing her arms around him. "You're feeling better I see."

She leaned her head on his, groaning in pain when her wound began to send shooting pains up and down her body. She moved backwards, sitting down on the bed and pulling Athrodar down with her, the former Prince kneeling down on the bed in front of her. "Elaria has been filling me in with what happened." She glared at the Night Elf. "Specifically my behaviour under the peacebloom wine."

Elaria shrugged at her. "It was interesting to watch as I'd never seen you like that." She looked over to Athrodar, the former Prince nodding at her slightly and confirming her suspicions on what they spoke about earlier. "Well, I'm going to leave you two alone. Not that I know what I will be doing in the meantime."

Thalina watched her leave, throwing herself at Athrodar once she was gone, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her whole body on him for support. Athrodar held her against him tightly, pulling her away when she gasped in pain. He pulled up her shirt, looking at the wound across her abdomen and tracing a finger across it. "This won't fully heal, leaving you with a scar."

She grinned, pulling up his tunic and placing her hand on one of his many scars, specifically the one made by Frostmourne the first time he died. "Looks like we'll have matching scars then, wouldn't we?" She looked back up to his eyes, his glowing blue orbs still shining brighter than she remembered. "Elaria told me about your eyes."

Athrodar leaned over towards his belt, pulling out one of his knives and looking at his reflection in them. "I didn't expect them to still be like this, especially since Arthas has fallen." He put the knife back, Thalina looking sad when he faced her once more. "What is it?"

She looked down at the bed. "You're leaving soon."

He placed a hand under her chin, moving her head up to face him. "I am, yes. But not until you're perfectly fit and able to do your usual activities... without help." He kissed her forehead. "Until then, I'm staying by your side."

Thalina's smile lit up the room, throwing herself at him once more, the pair of them falling backwards on the bed with the Magister laying on top of him. "Do you think we can..?" She raised an eyebrow, both her eyes dilating with lust.

"I'm almost certain we've had this discussion before and in similar circumstances." He poked her wound which made her gasp and grimace in pain. "One, you're in pain and too weak to even get out of bed, let alone do anything in one other than sleep." He looked over to his left, finding an Alliance soldier sleeping in the bed next to them. "And two, we're not exactly alone in here."

Thalina rolled off him, laying down next to the former Prince and facing away from him. "Fine..." She mumbled, closing her eyes as she tried to get some sleep. "Just don't expect me to put out the next time you come calling."

Athrodar laughed, rolling onto his side, wrapping one arm around her and pulling her closer to him. "You would find it difficult and you know it." He kissed the bottom of her ear, making his way up to the tip of it, all the while watching Thalina try to hold back her need for him.

She rolled over onto her other side, the two of them look at each other, face to face in the bed. "Either you stop, or I'll tell the priests that you're making it difficult for me to sleep, forcing them to remove you from the building."

He just smirked at her attempt on being serious, knowing all too well she wanted to pounce on him right there and then. "Alright, I'll stop." Thalina thanked him, turning back around to face away from him, the former Prince moving one arm over her and holding her hand. He watched her slowly rub her thumb over his knuckles, moving his other arm to lay under her.

She held onto his hand tightly, bringing it to her face and kissing it. "So you're going to stay with me until I'm better, then you're leaving?"

"Yes." He paused, knowing she wasn't going to react kindly to his next words, but also knowing he had to be the one to tell her. "And Elaria is coming with me."


	46. Chapter 46

**Fit and Able**

Thalina sat up, looking back down at Athrodar who was still laying there, looking back at her. "What? No.. You can't take her with you."

He sat up, taking hold of both her hands. "Thal, listen to me. I'm not taking her away from you for good." She didn't listen, pushing herself off the bed and making her way to the exit of the building, holding herself up against the door frame when her breath was taken from her lungs, coughing up some blood and holding onto her wound. Athrodar pushed himself off the bed as well, running over to her and picking her up, taking her back to bed. "We can talk about this when you're more able to storm out."

When she recovered from her minor coughing fit, she pushed him away slightly. "We're talking about this now. Why are you taking her away from me as well?"

Athrodar was about to explain what was going on, Elaria choosing the perfect time to walk in and help build his case to her. "We both have no affiliation to a faction, Elaria's contract with the Argent Crusade is coming to an end soon and the pair of us planning to form a mercenary group."

Thalina looked at Elaria, the Night Elf nodding at her in confirmation. "Then let me come with you. It will be like the good old days... Before you were killed."

Elaria chose to speak up for him. "Thal, you have a child to look after." She looked at the pair of them. "I will have his back if that's what you're afraid of."

"I have chosen a location for our base as well." He looked over to Elaria who seemed a little surprised he had found somewhere so quickly. "Though we will have to clear out the bandits inside."

Thalina frowned at him. "Where is it?"

He looked at her, turning his gaze towards Elaria when she asked the same question. "Hillsbrad."

"By bandits, you don't mean Ravenholdt do you?" She moved to stand in front of him, looking him in the eyes. "Please don't tell me it's them. We can't take them on our own." She glanced over to Thalina. "Not even if Thal joined us do we stand a chance."

He shook his head. "No, it's not them. I'm not that stupid. But we will be nearby, in the mountains of Alterac." He saw Elaria's face light up a little, knowing she liked the idea of living in a castle. "Though we will have to clear out the bandits who have taken that as their home." He sat down on the bed, facing Elaria who was standing up in front of him. "We can take them in the cover of nightfall, we just have to be stealthy."

Thalina leaned on him from behind, snaking her arms around him. She moved her head next to his, resting it on his shoulder. "Maybe I can visit every now and then." She kissed his cheek. "It's close enough to Silvermoon that I can visit for a few days, maybe a week before having to return home."

Athrodar turned his head to the side, facing Thalina and kissing her lightly. "You still need to raise our child, as well as getting better." He leaned over towards the top of the bed, pulling the bed sheets down. "And in order to get better, you need a lot of rest."

She sighed, moving over towards the pillow and tucking her legs under the bed sheet. "Come lay down with me." She pulled on his arm, Athrodar getting up and walking to the edge of the bed. Thalina moved over and giving him some room for him to join.

When he climbed in, Thalina rested her head on his chest whilst he moved his right arm underneath her, holding her against him. Elaria sat down on the chair next to the bed, throwing her hood over her head, something she rarely done unless she wanted to sleep without taking it off. She closed her eyes, slumping down in the chair and finding a comfortable position to sleep in. "We will continue talks about our new home later. For now I need to sleep, as well as you little lady."

Thalina yawned despite trying her best not to. "Little lady... I'm not a child."

Elaria and Athrodar looked at each other then at Thalina. "Yes you are." They both replied, Athrodar deciding to add a little more on. "You refuse to do anything we ask you to do, even if it helps you recover." He pushed a few strands of her hair away from her eyes. "We aren't going to go anywhere if that's what you're worried about, we're going to stay with you until you've recovered fully, then we will see where we go from there."

Thalina had her eyes closed when Athrodar looked at her again, feeling her warm breath on the cold flesh of his hand, lightly brushing his thumb over her cheek repeatedly, lulling her to sleep. He looked over to Elaria, the Night Elf already sleeping in the chair, feeling a small pit in his stomach as he envied their ability to sleep, knowing that he would never get the luxury of dreaming or waking up next to the woman he loves. Although he did know it wasn't all bad, being given the chance to watch Thalina sleep had allowed him to slowly fall for the Magister again, the simple act becoming his favourite pastime as of late.

* * *

Several days had passed since the fall of Arthas, Elaria and Athrodar being forcefully dragged to the heroes ceremony that honoured those who had fallen and celebrated those who had been there to slay the Lich King. Thalina had accompanied them, but was instructed by Athrodar to remain seated for the majority of the celebration, only allowing her a few minutes every couple of hours to stand up and move about, the former Prince staying near her the whole time. "I don't need you to babysit me, I know how to walk."

Though she wasn't lying, she did however stay near the edges of the room they were in, holding herself up against the walls when she felt she needed some assistance to stand up. "I'm not babysitting you, I'm just concerned about you." He looked at the ball gown she was wearing. "As well as the dress you made me buy for this party." He looked around the Violet Citadel, the whole place being magically enhanced to hold all those who had been in the final fight against Arthas. "Do you need to sit down?"

She shook her head, holding onto her wound. "I'm fine, but I wouldn't mind a drink to relieve some of this pain." She watched him leave, grimacing a little as shooting pains shot up and down her body. When he returned, she took the glass of wine off him. "Put an arm around me." When he did, she leaned most of her weight on him, resting her head on his arm until she was able to stand up on her own again.

Athrodar kissed the top of her head, the pair of them deciding to stay away from the crowds of people the whole time, Elaria coming back to them every few minutes to tell them some gossip she had overheard. She was however on the opposite side of the room to them, leaving both of them alone for a few minutes. Athrodar leaned his head closer to Thalina's ear. "You look beautiful by the way."

She held on to him a little tighter. "I told you this dress would make me look amazing." She wore a red, silk ballroom gown that hugged her figure perfectly, the emblem of the Sin'dorei printed onto her left hip in sequins. She also wore a pair of red evening gloves as well as her family's ring on her finger, their house sigil crafted into it. She had also fixed her hair, re-dying it the same crimson red she had always done for most of her life, paying the local barber to come visit her whilst Athrodar and Elaria were away, having her hair styled in a way she knew would blow Athrodar away, letting it flow over her shoulder, curled from the middle down with a fringe that covered her left eye.

He took hold of her hand, leading her away from the celebrations. When she asked where they were going, he just grinned, telling her to trust him. They both arrived at a set of twin doors, a voice in the back of his head telling him to draw his bow and nock an arrow, pushing it away as he knew they were safe here. He opened the doors, walking out onto the balcony in front of them and sitting down on one of the few chairs there, pulling Thalina down to sit on his lap. "I walked by this room on my way to talk to Tirion a few days ago."

She leaned back on him, her head placed perfectly next to his, pressing her cheek against his. "This makes up for your over-protectiveness, my love." She gazed up at the many stars in the sky, their campaign in Icecrown never gave her the opportunity to look at them like this, that place forever being shrouded in heavy clouds. "Thank you for this. I thought you were going to leave me behind when you were told to come here tonight."

"I would have avoided it altogether if your face didn't light up like it did when you heard about it." He laughed a little. "I have never been to anything like this before, at least not from what I remember. You on the other hand, you must have been to many parties and get together's like this before Arthas invaded."

She smiled, closing her eyes and letting the memories of her past flood her mind. "Yes, this isn't the first ball I have been to. Being the daughter of a Grand Magister means I got to go to one every other week." She opened her eyes, looking down at their hands that were intertwined in each others. "I had never enjoyed them though, being forced to go to them alone whilst the other young nobles of the court had the next prodigy in whatever field of work they were in, on the end of their arm."

He placed a hand under her chin, moving her head up to face him. "Then this one must beat all of them by a mile. You're going to this with the elf that dealt the final blow to Arthas." He kissed her on the lips, Thalina placing one hand on his cheek and lengthening their kiss, moving her other hand to his other cheek and turning around in the chair, sitting on his lap and facing him, still continuing their kiss, their tongues meeting in the middle, Athrodar moving his hands to her waist and holding her there.

Thalina took off the necklace she was wearing, the same one with the locket on the end that she wore throughout the Northrend campaign, not wanting to go anywhere without it. She moved her hands towards the back of her gown, Athrodar stopping her hands from getting to work on the zip that held it on. "What is it?"

He kissed her. "Keep it on." Kissing her again when she grinned at him.

"As long as you don't rip it, I like this gown." She began to undo his belt, Athrodar aiding her when she struggled with the buckle, the former Prince chuckling when she groaned in frustration. "It's not easy from this angle, okay?"

He smirked, taking off his belt and pulling down his ranger leggings a little, Thalina pulling up her gown until it rested on her upper thighs, spreading her legs a little and sitting on top of him, guiding him in until she let out a small moan when she felt him enter her. "This goes against what I said the other day." He kissed her neck. "But this is a special night, so I'll let it slide."

She smiled, rocking her hips slightly after deciding to go at her own pace. "I chose one hell of a night to wear nothing underneath." She leaned forward, kissing him once more. "I'm certain now, I really like this gown."

Elaria walked to the part of the room she had left them in, finding they had both disappeared. Worried she was left alone with people she would like to avoid, she began to search the rest of the Violet Citadel, walking passed the balcony they were both on, the Night Elf raising an eyebrow and walking backwards slowly, confirming her suspicions when she saw Thalina rocking back and forth, letting out a soft moan of pleasure. She quickly and quietly shut the doors to the balcony, smiling and nodding at anyone walking passed her, having to make up any excuse she could to get them to carry on moving.

* * *

Two weeks had gone by since the ball at the Violet Citadel, Thalina able to move about a lot more since then, taking a stroll around Dalaran every day and timing how long she could go without needing to rest, extending the time by several minutes each time until she was able to walk the whole way around the city, only stopping two times for a rest. "She's progressing slowly." Elaria told Athrodar, the pair of them watching Thalina from afar.

"I think she's trying to prolong our stay, not wanting to part ways with us anytime soon." He sighed, shaking his head. "We haven't even tried to get her to cast spells." He looked at Elaria. "Do you think we're being too kind on her?"

Elaria pressed her lips together, moving them to one side in thought. "It's hard to say. We haven't been in her position, so we don't know how long it takes to recover from such a thing." She shrugged when he asked again. "We can't push her past her limits, she looks a lot fragile than when we first brought her here."

"I know she is, which is why I think we're being too soft on her." Wanting a change of subject, he turned to face Elaria fully. "How are we on our Alterac situation?"

She grinned, also wanting a change of subject and happy that he had one planned. "It's going as well as we thought it would. Their numbers aren't increasing or decreasing and they have a lot of holes in their defences, making it very easy to slip in and out without getting caught."

"Brilliant. What about recruits, how do we fair in that department?"

She shook her head, Athrodar cursing in Thalassian when he saw her simple movement. "We have a couple willing to join when we have secured the fort, help us build up our reputation from their, whilst the rest want money on day one."

"Of course they do. Who are the two willing to join once we've taken the stronghold?"

She unrolled a sheet of parchment that was placed on her belt in a little pocket that would normally hold poisons, Athrodar raising an eyebrow at her new use of the pouch. "They.. aaarrre... Ahah, here we go. Our lucky recruits are the legendary duo of a human named Charles... something and a Tauren called Hroki Bluffhorn."

"Well, two are better than none." He looked over to Thalina who was making her way towards them after spotting the pair of them on her route around the city. "I'm thinking the Tauren could be useful with a massive shield and an axe."

Elaria smirked, watching Thalina walk closer to them as well. "Make the toughest looking guy take the full brunt of the hits? I like your style."

Thalina stopped in front of the pair of them, wearing the same black leathers she wore on their assault on Icecrown Citadel, paying a tailor to repair her tunic after it had been ripped by Rotface and a sharp bone that was sticking out from his hand. "Twice. I only had to rest twice this time."

They both gave her their praises, Athrodar's being more reserved than Elaria's, the former Prince having a question in his mind ever since he mentioned it a couple minutes ago to Elaria. "Thal, have you tried to use your magic at all? Even if it's to cast a small flame."

Thalina frowned at him. "No, but I didn't think I would be affected in anyway that would hinder my spell work." She opened up her hand in front of the two elves standing opposite her, trying to conjure a small flame in them but nothing happened. Panicking slightly she concentrated on her hand, though nothing was appearing in front of her.

Seeing she was becoming increasingly upset, Athrodar placed a hand over hers. "It's okay, I figured this would happen." He closed her hand, moving closer to her and pushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen from behind her ear. "From now on, concentrate on your spell work instead of seeing how far you can walk without resting."

She nodded at him tentatively, a growing fear of losing her ability to cast spells was quickly making itself visible in her appearance, causing Athrodar to grab hold of her and pull her into a hug, the former Prince having read her mind and sensing the fear. "It's all I have, I can't lose my ability to conjure flames. I'm supposed to make Grand Magister one day."

He stroked the back of her head. "It's okay, I'm sure it's because you're exhausted. Try again tomorrow and see where you're at, but I'm certain it's because you've used up most of your energy for today."

She smiled weakly, taking his words to heart though still having a bad feeling that she had lost her ability to cast anything. "We'll see tomorrow."

* * *

Three months had passed now since her arrival in Dalaran after being brought back from temporary death. She had managed to retain her spell work, being able to cast a small flame the day after she found out she couldn't do it on the spot after being asked. She had spent half an hour with the priests of Dalaran every day, getting a routine check up midway through the day, assessing her progress and finally giving her permission to be walk through portals without seriously injuring herself, taking the first portal back to Eversong Woods the moment she was cleared to go.

Athrodar had hesitated at first when she decided it was time to go home and finish her recovery process there, Thalina telling him it was okay and that he wouldn't be forced out of Eversong Woods by the populace, especially after being the one to deal the final blow on Arthas. "I'm not exactly going to fit in amongst them though, am I? Plus the climate doesn't really agree with me."

She had wrapped her arms around one of his, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked over to Sunreaver's Sanctuary. "You'll be fine. I have been researching a few spells whilst being stuck in this place and I think I have found one that will keep your body temperature down to a level you would feel comfortable with."

They approached the swirling vortex that would take them to Eversong Woods, Grand Magister Telramar creating one to Dalaran after receiving word Thalina could come home, the portal taking them directly to her home. Athrodar tensed up as he looked at the portal, Thalina looking up at him and asking what was wrong. "The last time I was here I was still alive, even then I didn't remember the woman who I had been told was my mother. I don't know how she would react to seeing me like this, or if I could keep up the lie of pretending I remember her."

Thalina moved his head around to face her, kissing him lightly. "You'll be fine, trust me. If push comes to shove, just tell them your memories were wiped after Arthas had raised you, I'm sure they would understand. And if they don't, you're not here for them anyway." She kissed him again. "Now come on, I haven't seen our daughter in months and I don't think I can go another minute without seeing her."

Elaria sighed, standing behind them and looking like a Blood Elf after taking a potion to look like one temporarily. "I don't know why I have to look like this. Either one of your families know who I am and that I'm not a threat."

Thalina smirked at her. "I think you look nice." She turned back around to the swirling vortex in front of her, walking through it seconds later, landing in Eversong woods and gasping as a blinding pain shot through her momentarily, falling to her knees and holding onto her side. Both Elaria and Athrodar walked through it after seeing her drop down, the former Prince picking her up and throwing one of her arms around him, supporting her from under it.

"I thought they said you were clear to go home, that walking through any portals will sap your energy greatly, but not injure you in any way." Athrodar looked at her for a reply, Thalina shifting her eyes away from him. "Unless they didn't say that at all."

"I just wanted to go home." She glanced over to him, not failing to notice his glare. "I couldn't stay in that city for another minute, I needed to be around my family."

Elaria had supported her from the other side, the pair of them helping her walk the last couple of steps home. "I think you should have told us what you were doing, we could have hired a couple of rooms on a boat or Zeppelin to take you back weeks ago."

She looked at Elaria, shifting her eyes down to the ground seconds later. "You're right." She looked over to Athrodar next. "I'm sorry." She gasped in pain once more, falling to her knees and dragging them with her. "You need to carry me, I don't think I can do the rest on my own."

Athrodar sighed, shaking his head at her. "You want me to carry you through the door to your home, looking like a couple of newly weds?" When she smiled up at him, he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine... I just hope nobody is watching when we do this."

He picked her up in his arms, taking her to the door and making her turn the handle to let them in. Liadrin was sitting in a chair on the other side of the door, watching them walk through it in the exact way Athrodar hoped nobody would take it. "Well well well, I knew you kids were going to get married someday."

Thalina placed a hand over his mouth. "She's joking, don't rise to her taunts."

Liadrin got up from the chair she was sat in, only just realising Thalina was being carried. She placed her hands on the Magister's re-opened wound, closing it with her healing. "You weren't cleared for portals were you?"

"No, she wasn't" Athrodar let go of her, holding her up against him when she began to lean on him, slowly leading her to the next room. "But she insists it's because she wanted to be with her family, so she risked injury to come here."

Liadrin shook her head, walking with them to the living room where everyone else was sitting and talking to each other. "Right, I forgot. Everyone is here." She glanced up at Athrodar who sighed the moment he saw them all. "Sorry."

"It's fine, I am only here for her." He kissed the top of Thalina's head, helping her sit down on the nearest chair. He crouched down in front of her, taking hold of both her hands. "I'll be right back, I just need to talk to Elaria about Alterac."

Thalina watched him leave, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes, trying to ignore everyone who was looking at her, waiting to talk. Feeling their eyes were still upon her, she sighed, opening her eyes and turning her head to look at them. "Alright, what is it?"

Driana chose to speak up first, her mother looking more concerned than anyone else. "Thal, I love you and I won't judge you for your choices, but who was that and why do you two seem close?"

Illana, Athrodar's mother, nodded and said her agreements with Driana, surprising Thalina a little when both of them didn't realise it was Athrodar, shifting her gaze to Liadrin who looked surprised as well. "You didn't tell them?"

The Blood Knight Matriarch scoffed. "I didn't think I had to tell them."

Both mothers sat forward in their chairs, looking directly at Thalina. "Tell us what?"

"You may want to remain seated." She looked specifically at Illana. "I don't know how to tell you this without it sounding like a joke." She took a deep breath before continuing. "That was Athrodar. He.. he's not the same as he once was, I know that. But it is him."

Illana laughed, covering her face with her hands and laughing some more. "That's not my son." She looked up from her hands, locking eyes with Thalina who was nodding at her. "No, that's not my son... He died in the Plaguelands, you said so yourself. There's no way he can be here if he died there." She looked over to Liadrin who gave her a sympathetic expression, Thalina matching it as well. "No..."

Driana moved to her friend, lifting her up from the chair she sat in when she began to cry, walking out the room with her. Liadrin looked over to Thalina who looked pained at telling her the truth. "She had to know Thal, It's not your fault."

"I know." She looked over to her child's room. "How is my baby girl? I presume you're only here because she's here."

Liadrin grinned. "Maybe." She got up from her chair, walking over to Tanadia's room and bringing her to her mother. "You have missed a lot since you were stuck in Dalaran."

Thalina felt a pit in her stomach open up, knowing exactly what she was on about and dreaded this moment the whole time she was in Dalaran. "She has said her first words, hasn't she?"

A nod. "Yes and she has been learning to walk, watch." Liadrin stood Tanadia up, facing the child towards Thalina. "Go to your mama." She gently pushed her, watching the tiny elf slowly waddle her way over to the Magister.

Thalina picked her up when she got to her, overjoyed with seeing it for herself, being reduced to tears when she called her mama in Thalassian. "My baby is growing up." She kissed her child, sitting her down on her lap and rubbing their noses together. "I am going to stay here with her and not miss another thing." She glanced up at Liadrin who was looking a little smug. "What is it?"

"I had her tested."

Thalina narrowed her eyes are her. "What did they say?"

Liadrin's smile widened. "They say she is showing signs of becoming a priestess."

Thalina rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You know they're not always accurate at this age, right? Not until she has reached her tenth year do they become accurate."

"I know, but... Gah! She is going to become a priestess! Just like her aunty Liadrin." She twirled on the spot, excited at the prospect of teaching her.

Athrodar returned with Elaria, the latter returning to her Night Elf form shortly after arriving in Eversong Woods, knowing everyone in this home would treat her as a friend. Thalina looked over to them, calling over Athrodar who was busy looking at the two older elven women on the bench outside. When he stood in front of Thalina, he crouched down to level out their heights though his gaze remained on the little elf in between them. "Is this her?"

A nod. "This is our daughter."

Athrodar took off one of his gloves, slowly extending his hand towards Tanadia who took hold of one of his fingers instantly. "Papa" She said in Thalassian, being the only language she knows, smiling up at him.

Thalina leaned forward, kissing Athrodar and smiling at him when she pulled away. "You may not want to hear it, but welcome home."


	47. Chapter 47

**What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been**

The first week after arriving back in Eversong Woods had been like a dream for Thalina, though stuck in bed for the whole week due to going through a portal after not being given the all clear, Athrodar had accompanied her the whole time along with their daughter who was sleeping next to her at this very moment.

The former Prince was laying behind her, the pair of them watching Tanadia sleep peacefully in front of them. He kissed Thalina's neck, holding onto the Magister and turning her around so she was laying on her back. She placed a hand on his face, pulling him down slowly until their lips met. When he moved away from her, he looked down at her wound, tracing a finger along it. "How does it feel?"

She bit her bottom lip, the feel of his cold finger along her wound had filled her with ecstasy, letting out a small moan of pleasure and holding onto Athrodar's tunic tightly. "A lot better now." She whispered, biting his bottom lip and dragging him down to lay on top of her.

He looked over to his left, Tanadia still sleeping by their side. "I don't feel comfortable doing this whilst our daughter is here." Thalina looked to her right, sighing and agreeing with his point.

She moved from underneath him, laying next to Tanadia and placing a hand lightly on her face, rubbing her finger across her daughter's cheek. "I think I am done with travelling the world. I've missed too much of her life already and she hasn't even seen her second year." She looked back at Athrodar who had moved to lay behind her. "Are you sure you can't stay here with us?"

He kissed her shoulder, working his way up to her neck. "This is just something I have to do." He placed a hand on her stomach, slowly moving it down towards her waist. "Besides, you can come visit us when we get the place sorted." His hand moved under her leggings and towards her crotch, all the while kissing her neck.

Thalina bit her lip, letting out a soft moan when he reached her sensitive flesh. "Wh..what are you doing? You said you w..weren't comf..ortable with this whilst our daughter is h..he..here."

"I know I did." He slipped one finger in between her legs, Thalina letting out another moan which made him cover her mouth with his free hand. "Shh, you don't want to wake her." He pushed another finger in between her legs, slowly massaging her. "I wasn't comfortable with full blown sex in front of her." He bit the bottom of her ear. "But if you remain quiet, you may just be..." He pushed the third and final finger into her, Thalina letting out a loud moan into his hand. "Rewarded."

Thalina slowly rocked her hips against his hand, leaning back against him and trying to keep her voice down but the build up in pleasure was becoming all too much for her, holding onto whatever part of the bed she could with one hand, the other holding onto his hand between her legs. Her whole body quivered under his touch, letting out a loud cry into his hand as she was brought to climax.

Athrodar raised an eyebrow. "That was quicker than I expected." He slowly pulled his fingers out of her, grinning in triumph as Thalina panted next to him, closing her eyes and savouring what she was feeling in that moment. "I know I said for you to remain quiet, but I couldn't help myself."

Thalina smiled, placing a hand on his chest and rolling over to face him. "And you wonder... why I never... listen to you." She kissed him. "You can't follow your own rules." She grinned. kissing him again.

They both remained in bed for a few more minutes, Thalina slowly falling asleep in his arms, only to be woken up when she heard her name being called from downstairs by Driana. Athrodar tapped on her shoulder when she ignored the calls of her name. "I think your mother needs you."

She sighed, resting her head on his chest. "She knows where I am if she needs me." She patted his chest. "Now stay still and let me sleep." She remained in bed, half laying on him for another few minutes, falling asleep by the time the door to her bedroom was opened by Driana, her mother looking at the pair of them.

She smiled upon seeing her daughter was sleeping next to her granddaughter, though her eyes were saddened when she looked specifically at Athrodar. "I am sorry for what has happened to you, truly I am." She looked down at Thalina who was still sleeping on him. "But if you so much as hurt my little girl, I will make sure you are never welcomed back into these lands."

He gave her a stern look in return. "Trust me when I say, I don't mean to harm her in any way." He rested his eyes on the elf laying on him. "I wouldn't be here if I did. I almost lost her in Icecrown." He pushed a couple of strands of hair away from her eyes, Thalina smiling at his touch. "I just want to make sure she remains safe and is looked after."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I will be selling my services as a mercenary." He looked down at Thalina once more. "And she will receive every last coin I earn."

Driana remained silent, staring at Tanadia who was sleeping next to Thalina and Athrodar. "Do you mind if I take her for a few hours? I haven't been alone with her since you two came home."

Athrodar nodded. "Sure, I can't see why not."

He watched Driana pick up Tanadia, the Dawnstrider Matriarch stopping at the door to face him one last time before leaving. "She has loved you for a long time, Athrodar. And I'm sure she will love you for many centuries to come." She turned her gaze towards Tanadia who was playing with one of her fingers. "Just don't get yourself killed, again. As I'm sure the next time will be permanent."

He watched her begin to leave. "Wait." She turned around to face him once more. "How's Illana? I haven't spoken to her since I arrived."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean your mother? Because that's what she still is to you, you know." She watched for his reaction carefully, the faint twitch in his cheek giving it away that something was up. "You don't remember her, do you?"

He sighed, knowing he wasn't as stoic as he remembered being. "No, I don't. Please don't tell her that."

She shook her head. "I won't, you don't have to worry about that. She has lost too much and I don't think she can survive knowing that you don't remember your own mother. Will that be all?" She watched him nod, bowing her head slightly to him. "Then I'll be leaving with this little one. Take care."

Athrodar closed his eyes when he was left alone with Thalina once more, trying to find some form of rest, having gone over two years without sleeping by his own free will. What he found instead however was his memories of his time under the control of Arthas and all the things he was made to do. Specifically the torturing and slaughtering of innocents by the thousands.

With every passing memory, they became more and more vivid, making it feel like he was reliving those moments right now, opening his eyes and sitting up swiftly, waking up Thalina in the process. She watched him clutch his head, getting up onto her knees and hugging him from behind. "Hey, are you all right? What happened?"

He placed a hand over hers. "I'm fine, go back to sleep." He looked outside, realising it was dark out and coming to the conclusion he had in fact managed to sleep, though it didn't feel like he was rested. "I just had a bad dream is all."

She kissed his cheek, resting her head against his. "You know, that's the first time you've said those words ever since you were risen from death." She hugged him tighter. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He placed his other hand up to her face, rubbing his thumb on her cheek. "I'm fine, I just need a minute." He looked outside once more, confirming to himself that it was in fact dark out. "I'll be outside if you need me."

He got up from the bed, Thalina watching him leave the room and hearing him walk down the corridor to the flight of stairs. She sighed, laying back down in the bed and closing her eyes, trying to get back to sleep.

Several minutes passed by of her still laying there, unable to sleep. She had changed into something more comfortable, wearing a red silk nightie, but still was unable to get back to sleep after several more minutes had crept by slowly. She groaned in frustration, sitting up in the bed and looking towards the window, noticing the skies were clear as they always were in Northern Quel'Thalas.

She figured she'd join him outside after staring at the sky for a couple more minutes, quickly throwing on a cloak to cover herself up and making her way down the corridor, the flight of stairs and through the living room and to the twin set of doors that would lead her to the porch he was currently occupying. She opened them and saw him laying down on the bench and gazing directly up at the stars, looking a little lost in thought.

Not wanting to distract him, she slowly made her way over to sit next to the bench. Though Athrodar had other plans, moving over as much as he could on the bench, having heard her open the doors to the porch. She smiled a little when she saw him move over, quickly making her way over to him and laying down on it with him, resting her head on his arm. "What was it about?" She asked after getting comfortable, snuggling up against him.

"My time in Northrend, specifically the bad parts. Torturing and killing thousands of innocents, against my free will." He closed his eyes as the screams of the past raced through his head, willing the memories out of his head for the moment. "It's something I don't think I'll ever live down."

She moved his arm that was under her head, around her, making him hold onto her. "I will be here if you need to talk about it. I hope you know that." She kissed his arm, rubbing it to comfort him. "I know it wasn't something you would do unless you were forced."

He began to move around until he was laying on his side, looking directly at her, Thalina doing the same until they were staring at each other in the darkness, their eyes being the most visible thing about them. "Before you were injured and had almost died in Icecrown, I didn't know how I truly felt about you, Thal." He placed one hand on her cheek, looking directly into her glowing green orbs that were her eyes. "After I almost lost you in there, then losing Lana'thel shortly after did I realise that I was more devastated about the thought of losing you than I was with actually losing her."

Her eyes widened a little, the look of adoration in them forever present as she looked back into his. "And how do you feel about me?"

"You used to say it a lot." He chuckled. "You still do, and I never fully understood what that was like." He looked down at her hand that she had just placed over his. "But now I think I do. After the many months we spent alone in Dalaran whilst you were recovering did I finally realise it."

"Realise what?" She asked, her voice was small as the lump in her throat was making it difficult for her to talk.

"I love you Thal, with every fibre of my cold, unbeating heart." He kissed her, being the only thing he could think of doing in that moment, Thalina throwing her arms around his neck and pressing herself up against him as she kissed him with ten times the force he did, her heart singing as he said the three words she had wanted to hear for years.

"I love you too, Athrodar. More than anyone could ever know." She gave him a lingering kiss, holding onto him tightly as she didn't want to be anywhere else.

Although wanting to stay awake with him all night, she was becoming tired, spending the past hour with him on that bench with the pair of them still laying there, gazing into the sky whilst he held onto her. The first signs of fatigue began to break through as she yawned, snuggling up to him and closing her eyes shortly after. The cloak she was wearing had been wrapped around her tightly, though Athrodar had still managed to hold onto her instead of the cloak, laughing a little when he realised she was wearing something short underneath it. "You got changed I see."

Thalina giggled, nodded against his arm. "I thought I would wear something slutty, try to lure you back into bed with me." She turned her head to face him. "I have something for you."

He watched her sit up. "And what is it that you have for me?"

She waved her hand in a clockwise motion, each finger spreading out and closing in against her hand one at a time, opening it up underneath where she had waved her hand, a necklace similar to the one she had wore in Northrend appearing out of thin air and landing in her hand, laying back down and handing it to him. "As well as matching scars, I think we should both share something that similar and not permanently on our bodies."

He took it from her, holding it tightly in his hand. "I'm almost certain we have matching cloaks as well." He added, kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. It also has the same properties as mine, allowing me to create a portal to you just like I was able with mine." She could almost hear the cogs in his mind getting to work when he thought about the mechanics of it. "You know, with magic."

Athrodar smiled, resting his head against her back. "Sleep now, I'll be here when you wake up." She nodded her head, yawning once more before closing her eyes.

* * *

The last month of her recovery process went by without any complications, Liadrin leaving after the first two weeks, having declared her fit enough to not need a constant watch over her. Elaria had begun to plan out the mission into taking the Ruins of Alterac, going over it with Athrodar in the final week of Thalina's recovery, the pair of them thinking they had a solid plan set up.

On the final day, she went over it with him once more, just to be certain. "Are you certain this can work? We only have one shot at it."

He smirked, patting her on the back. "I guarantee it will work. You have gone over this plan time and time again, continuously scouting it out every week and making sure nothing has changed. You tell me if it will not work."

She grinned, patting him on the shoulder and heading to the spare room that was given to her whilst they were staying here, packing up what little belongings she had. Athrodar looked over to Thalina who sat on the floor with Tanadia, the two of them playing one of the many games the Magister used to play when she was younger. He smiled to himself, never seeing Thalina so happy as she was in the moment, knowing she was going to be okay with him being away from the two of them for several weeks at a time.

Elaria had returned with a small rucksack on her back, a look of determination in her eyes as Athrodar's gaze met hers. "Are we ready to go?"

"Give me a minute. I need to say goodbye." She nodded, leaning up against the wall and watching him walk over to the two elves sitting on the floor. He crouched down in front of the two of them, placing one hand on Tanadia's head, her little elven ears twitching when he brushed over them. He kissed Thalina when she looked up at him. "So, this is it."

She smiled up at him, getting up onto her knees and kissing him again, this time holding him there for several seconds longer than was necessary. "Don't die on me Athrodar, I will never forgive you if you do." She looked over to Elaria who looked amused at her choice of words. "That goes for you as well Elaria. If he dies, I will never forgive you."

She gasped, looking incredulous at the idea of her getting the blame for him dying. "What about me? What will happen if I die?"

Thalina looked at Athrodar, smirking at her lover. "I think we can manage without her, don't you?"

Elaria scoffed. "Thanks.. I love you too."

The Magister laughed. "I'm joking, of course I'd miss you. Just not as much as I would miss him." She smiled at her. "You'll keep him out of trouble, right? Make sure he doesn't go running into an army by himself."

Elaria smiled at her. "I will."

She turned her gaze back to Athrodar, kissing him one last time. "Have you got everything? The necklace? Your swords, daggers, knives, bow and arrows?" She chuckled softly. "A plan?"

He nodded at everything she was asking of him, hugging her tightly afterwards. "I'm going to be fine Thal, I promise." He glanced down Tanadia who was busy playing with the toy priestess model. "Looks like she has chosen for herself with what she will be." He smiled a little, looking back up at Thalina. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He stood up walking back towards Elaria, the Night Elf throwing one arm around his shoulder. "Come on, we've got a stronghold to take." She lead him towards the door, the pair of them walking through it and making their way towards Silvermoon City, Athrodar handing her a vial that would disguise her as a Blood Elf for a couple of hours.

Just as they got to the end of the village, they heard Athrodar's name being called out, turning around just in time to see Thalina throw herself at him, Athrodar catching her as she was in the air, swinging he around in a full circle once before she kissing him hard. She pulled away after a minute, Elaria avoided looking at them, instead looking towards Silvermoon. "I love you. I know I just said it but I want you to know it, I love you so much."

He smiled at her, leaning down and leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you too, Thal. More than I ever did in life."

They shared a few more words before she lightly pushed him towards Silvermoon, telling him to stay safe before heading back inside. Elaria glanced over to him as they neared Silvermoon, smirking as something crossed her mind. "If it doesn't work out between the two of you... Mind if I take a swing at her?"

He shook his head, sniggering at her proposition. "She wouldn't even give you a look in. Plus I reckon if she did, she would be the one who dictates everything."

She snorted. "You mean like she does with you two?"

"Exactly like that." He glanced over to her, noticing she was still in her natural form. "I think you should take that potion now."

She sighed. "Fine." It took a minute to kick in, turning her into a Sin'dorei as soon as it began to work. "Once again, I am smaller than I'd like to be."

He chuckled, walking passed the guards on duty and making his way into the city with her. "Have you thought about a name for our group? I don't think "Mercenary Group" Is a good selling point for a name."

"Hmm. You know, I haven't even thought about it." She scratched her head, trying to think of a couple names to throw into the ring. "How about 'Elaria's Mercenary group of awesomeness'?"

"A. That's too long and B. We will never be taken seriously."

"Blades of Darkness?"

"We're not an assassin group. Though that's an idea for later, we'll pin that."

She smirked, thinking of more names. "How about 'Snow Patrol'? Since we're in Alterac and it's got snow."

He shook his head. "Sounds like a name for a band, pick something else."

She began to offer up more names, the pair of them not agreeing or coming up with anything suitable for their group, making their way through Silvermoon the whole time and towards the Orb of Translocation that would take them to the Ruins of Lordaeron.

And to their future as mercenaries.

 **The End.**

* * *

 **Aye, it has come to an end, as all things must. First of all I'd like to say thank you to those who have read all the way up until this point, the constant stream of views kept pushing me on to complete this. Every time I thought about stopping, I just had to check the Follow and Favorite count as well as the view count and knew that there were people reading this and knowing that I would be foolish to stop midway.**

 **Secondly, there will be a sequel to this, though it will be set much later in the time period that is the Warcraft Timeline. It will also be more centered around a young Tanadia as well as Athrodar and Thalina and I plan on not keeping it to a specific event in the Warcraft Universe (Like I did with this one, keeping it centered around Wrath of the Lich King). Instead I will make a completely custom story, though the events in the Universe will still affect the story in someway, it won't dictate the direction of it.**

 **Once again, I'd like to say thank you to all those who have read up to this point and to those who do drop by after I have started the third part to this fan fiction. I also plan on making one shots from time to time of Athrodar+Thalina's past, though it's not one of my main concerns right now.**


End file.
